District Council 37 sent a powerful message that echoed from City Hall chambers through the streets of Harlem, protesting the city’s threat to cut 4,000 jobs and close 84 health clinics in some of New York’s poorest neighborhoods.

In testimony before the City Council Health Committee March 15, leaders of DC 37 locals 420, 436 and 768 called for the city to accept fiscal responsibility for the Health and Hospitals Corp.’s $313 million budget gap and demanded an immediate end to job cuts and clinic closings.

Later that evening, Local 420 President James Butler and hundreds of hospital workers, including 14 busloads of Local 420 members and its choir, closed ranks with politicians and preachers at a soul-stirring rally in Harlem’s Metropolitan A.M.E. Church to denounce the HHC plan as unjust.

“Not one member will be harmed,” said Administrator Lee Saunders. “You have that commitment from DC 37. This is our time, it’s our city and it’s time to take it back. The challenge to the next mayor is: How will you help HHC?”

The crisis pits DC 37, which represents almost 60 percent of HHC’s work force, against City Hall and HHC President Luis R. Marcos, who has moved to close clinics in communities where asthma, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis rates are at epidemic levels. HHC has closed several clinics for capital improvements, and at a Board of Directors meeting last February, Dr. Marcos suspended these projects— before their completion.

“We’re sending a message to city and state officials,” said Mr. Butler. “Save our hospitals, save our jobs! Hospital workers came out to rally because their jobs are threatened. It’s a disgrace for Dr. Marcos to want to destroy our hospitals.”

City funding is vital
“It’s about the city’s commitment to deliver quality health care to its citizens,” AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy told the crowded church.

Currently, the city provides no direct funding for the cost of treating the almost 2 million uninsured adults and children in the five boroughs. But it sticks HHC, which provides care for about 600,000 of the uninsured, with a bill for more than $300 million annually.

While HHC and the city claim there is no money to cover these costs and no money to hire more clinic staff, City Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi told the crowd the city has had a windfall budget surplus for the past four years.

At the Health Committee hearing, Chair Victor Robles said, “To cut 4,000 jobs and close clinics when the city has a $2.3 billion surplus is just outrageous.”

Staffs face sharp attrition, leaving severe overwork for those who remain, said Local 768 President Helen Greene, who represents Dept.of Health and HHC workers, Local 436 President Gloria Acevedo, who represents Public Health Nurses, and DC 37’s Patricia Brooks.

Delsie Butler, deputy administrator of Local 1549, and community ?advocates also said the clinic closings make it impossible for city health care workers to follow up on outpatients, a problem that further jeopardizes public health.

Protecting jobs and lives
“We have to protect the jobs of the people who protect the lives of people in our communities,” said State Comptroller H. Carl McCall. Other local political leaders and clergy responded to Local 420 Vice President Sarah Kennedy’s invitation and lent support to the union by condemning city and HHC officials for using health care as a political pawn and taking bread from the hands of city workers.

Mr. Butler called the rally a success and said, “The membership turned out with joy in their hearts because they see victory coming.” It was a statement of unity, said Ms. Kennedy, “to make sure the workers, the clinics and the community get their piece of the pie.”

“We are going to stop this blood bath of layoffs,” Mr. Butler said. “We will push until we win. When this mayor leaves office, he will remember Local 420 for the rest of his life.”