Public Employee Press

HHC is NOT FOR SALE, say members

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS

Voicing their concerns at annual meetings held by Health and Hospitals Corp. facilities in December and January, DC 37 leaders and health-care advocates denounced HHC's "Road Ahead" plan for massive layoffs and service cuts.

"This plan is bad news for patients and employees," said Local 420 President Carmen Charles Dec. 14 at Kings County Hospital. With Local 768 President Fitz Reid, she exposed the flaws of the plan to eliminate 4,000 jobs and urged HHC President Alan Aviles to remember HHC's obligation to provide quality health care for all New Yorkers.

Following the recommendations of the plan, which was drafted by the Deloitte LLP consulting firm, HHC has already shuttered dozens of child health, school and dental clinics, cut mental health, drug, alcohol and tuberculosis programs and reduced staffs to dangerous levels. HHC faces an $8.8 million deficit in 2012.

"It has never been this bad," said Patient Care Technician Cynthia Bobbett. "Patients depend on us for everything, but severe staff shortages have us in a constant state of emergency. Two of us care for 35 to 40 patients, so patients don't get fed or bathed. These cuts hurt us and the patients."

The cutback plan would contract out HHC's Brooklyn Central Laundry and fire its workers. The facility cleans over a million pounds of bedsheets, medical scrubs and baby clothes a year at about 63 cents a pound, less than any contractor.

"The Deloitte plan is wrong," said Local 420 BCL Chapter Chair Hulie White. "We save the city money. We work for our community. After 9/11, we cleaned over 1,000 pounds of uniforms - the private contractor refused! Hands off BCL!"

"HHC is not for sale!" said health-care advocate Judy Wessler. "HHC should be stronger; instead we have deconstructing via the "Road Ahead" program. HHC is a cash cow that has become a dumping ground for the uninsured."

Annually, HHC cares for 1.3 million inpatients, 1 million outpatients and 450,000 uninsured New Yorkers. As the ranks of unemployed and uninsured swell, more New Yorkers turn to public hospitals for care.

Rather than cutting services and jobs, said Reid, "HHC must work together with unions to get the funding it needs to serve the public in these times of scarcity."

DC37 activists filled the audience as leaders submitted a stack of petitions and pressed Aviles to respond to the letter objecting to the proposed layoffs that City Council members Julissa Ferreras and Mathieu Eugene wrote and 41 Council members, four borough presidents, and state legislators signed.

In court, DC 37 has so far blocked planned layoffs that would jeopardize HHC's ability to meet state safety guidelines.

"Mr. Aviles, don't put this on the backs of HHC employees to the detriment of the millions of patients we care for," said Charles. "The bottom line is not money, Mr. Aviles - it's care and humanity for the patients and the workers."