Public Employee Press

Bellevue workers fight privatization of dialysis services

The forces of privatization reared their ugly heads again in May when Health and Hospitals Corp. officials notified DC 37 that they would soon contract out dialysis services at Bellevue Hospital Center. Their rationale was that the unit was not up to state regulations.

“HHC’s history with privatization is dismal,” said Ralph Palladino, the 2nd vice president of Clerical-Administrative Employees Local 1549.

Palladino and members of locals 420 and 768 hit the streets in front of Bellevue on Aug. 9 for an aggressive leafleting session to inform their members and the public of management’s plan.

“If they had involved the union earlier, we could have lobbied the city or state for funds to improve the unit —like we did for Bellevue’s day carefacility,” said Palladino.

HHC says it will reassign the union members who work there — several Clerical Associates and Technicians — to other areas of the hospital with no loss of pay.

“The union’s top priority is to protect these members’ jobs and livelihood,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. “Our other priority is to stop HHC from contracting out public services to private, for-profit operators where making money, not patient services, is the bottom line.”

DC 37’s Political Action Department is planning to meet with the state Dept. of Health to clarify the status of the Bellevue Dialysis Unit and explore alternatives to privatization that would keep the work in-house. The union may also ask the city Office of Labor Relations to intervene to stop the move.