Nuvance Healthcare Workers, Members of 1199SEIU, To Lead Car Caravan in The Hudson Valley & Western CT: Is Nuvance Bad For The Health of Our Community?
August 16, 2022
Healthcare workers, patients, seniors and retirees, elected officials and more say Connecticut-based Nuvance Health is destroying their community hospitals at Vassar Brothers in Poughkeepsie and Putnam Hospital in Carmel.
When: Wednesday, August 17 starting at 3 p.m.
*Each caravan will be led by a mobile billboard (see below)
• Press Avail at 3 p.m.
• Please free to follow a caravan in your vehicle
• Available for live feed for 5 p.m. news
• Interviews & photo ops can be scheduled before, during & after the event
CARAVAN ONE:
MEET AT 3:00 at Home Depot
80 Independence Way, Brewster Travel through Ridgefield and Westport, CT.
CARAVAN TWO
MEET AT 3:00 Nuvance Vassar Brothers Medical Center 45 Reade Pl, Poughkeepsie, NY
Travel through City and Town of Poughkeepsie
1199SEIU Member Voices:
“My co-workers and I question Nuvance's priorities. We have been trying to come to an agreement that would clearly help to retain and recruit staff— after all—how do you run a hospital system without staff? For two years they have stalled at the bargaining sessions and more recently, when we are at the height of crisis, they cancel last minute. It’s getting to the point where the health of the community is at risk. I am gravely concerned and I know I am not alone in this worry" George Tharakan, BioMed Technologist, Nuvance/Vassar Brothers Medical Center
“We treat our patients with 1st class service, but we receive 2nd class healthcare benefits and wages from Nuvance! Maura Blackburn, Radiation Therapist, Nuvance/Putnam Hospital
At a glance:
For months workers, patients, elected officials and healthcare advocates have been telling the Connecticut-based Nuvance administration about the long waits at Vassar Brothers and Putnam hospitals in emergency rooms, labs and throughout every department. It is not unusual for patients to leave and seek care somewhere else. Meanwhile, staff is working around the clock and as a result, fatigue and stress are prevalent. It’s no surprise that qualified caregivers, professionals and service workers have all been leaving their jobs, and the short-staffing situation is getting worse. There is an opportunity to fix these problems while 11199SEIU members are in contract negotiations, but the employer’s disrespect for the workers has been obvious at every session. Instead of helping to mitigate the problems, hospital management makes them worse every day.
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.