MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Mindy Berman | 518.229.0486

After three months of facing enormous pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic, 1199SEIU healthcare workers at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Putnam Hospital are demanding to be recognized with compensation in the form of bonuses, rewards or enhanced pay

WHAT: Nuvance management at Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Putnam Hospital is refusing to provide frontline staff with any form of hazard pay for the risks they are enduring throughout the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. 1199SEIU members are calling on Nuvance to providing hazard or crisis pay and also:

• Communicate with transparency to patients and workers;

• Provide appropriate and fitting personal protective equipment to workers in every department;

• Provide fully paid sick leave for workers who are ill and/or required to quarantine.

The vigils will follow all public health laws that have been instituted during the pandemic. All participants will be wearing masks and will be standing at least 6 ft to 10 ft apart. **Photo opportunities and interviews will be available at each site, however, under the circumstances of the pandemic and social distancing rules, it may not be possible to interview the participants face to face. 1199SEIU will arrange phone/Zoom/etc. interviews by request, either before or after the picket. (518.229.0486 )

WHEN/WHERE: THURSDAY, JUNE 4 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Vassar Brothers Medical Center
Poughkeepsie, NY, Reade Place
Putnam Hospital
Carmel Hamlet, NY, Hospital Entrance

WHO: Frontline healthcare workers including direct caregivers, technicians and technologists, lab staff, environmental services and more.

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. For more information: http://www.1199seiu.org/ Please check out https://1199onthefrontlines.org/