The City Council of Auburn in upstate New York unanimously passed a resolution on November 3 that memorializes Auburn Memorial Hospital to continue as a locally-run full service hospital. This resolution grew out of an October 27 Council meeting in which healthcare workers testified about their concerns over a possible merger between Auburn Hospital and another larger institution from outside the Auburn and Cayuga County area.



At the October 27 meeting, over 50 concerned Auburn Memorial nurses and their community allies braved the snow and took the steps of City Hall to bring light to the potential negative impact that Cayuga County patients may face because of the proposed merger. Workers expressed their disappointment with the merger/affiliation secrecy so far and asked the City Council to support a fair and transparent process.



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“This is just a first step for us,” said John Lupien, an Auburn Memorial RN. “The citizens of Auburn and the rest of Cayuga County need Auburn Memorial to remain a full-service community hospital and not just a band aid center or clinic. This is our hospital and we must protect it for our patients.”



The nurses at Auburn have also begun to collect signatures on a community-wide petition, to hang “Save Our Hospital” signs in windows of local businesses, and to reach out to elected officials and community allies. The Cayuga Labor Council passed a resolution to support the workers at Auburn Memorial . Meetings with Auburn Mayor Quill and local state legislators have been encouraging and supportive.