OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ --
What: ACMC workers to Close Facilities for Day When: August 30th, 9:00 a.m. rally Where: Highland Hospital Emergency Room entrance 1411 East 31st Street Oakland
On Monday, August 30th Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) registered nurses and public health workers, members of the Service Employees International Union Locals 250, 535, and 616, will shut down Oakland’s Highland Hospital, Juvenile Hall, and John George Psychiatric Pavillion and Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro, in protest of unfair labor practices the hospital administration has committed in its plans to drastically cut ACMC staff and services. Workers plan to walk off the job at 12:00 a.m. on Monday, August 30th and stay off duty until midnight the following day. At 9:00 a.m. on Monday, workers will hold a rally against the Cambio Health Solutions’ proposal to cut ACMC staff and services. Patients will be joining healthcare providers in the protests against staff and service cuts.
The health care providers have filed unfair labor practice complaints with the Public Employee Relations Board citing the Alameda County Medical Center’s refusal to provide information on the decision making process behind their proposed staff reductions. By law, ACMC is required to provide information on their reasoning for proposed staff reductions so that bargaining between the workers and the employer can take place. The proposed budget includes plans to lay off an additional 10% of the ACMC workforce, or over 300 employees.
“If this emergency room staff at Highland Hospital is cut, it would be drastic,” said Barbara J. Wilson, a registered nurse and SEIU 616 member, at Highland Hospital. “We handle any and all life-threatening situations that occur in Alameda County. Oakland might as well just start putting out body bags for people, if they plan to make cuts like this to the emergency room staff.”
Though not obligated to do so under law, the workers provided the Medical Center with advance notice of their plans to conduct this job action so that ACMC could adequately address the needs and interests of patient care.
SEIU 250
CONTACT: Kathleen Miller of SEIU 250, +1-510-773-7102
Web site: http://www.seiu250.org/
