UConn Health: Support Tara Stevens During Her Medical Crisis

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UConn Health: Support Tara Stevens During Her Medical Crisis

Karen Buffkin, UConn’s Executive Director of Employee/Labor Relations

Tara Stevens is a surgical tech who is facing a life-changing illness that will require 2 major surgeries and at least 12 weeks of medical leave. Because she has no sick time, she and her family have been without pay for several weeks. AAUP members have offered to donate more than 5 weeks of time, but their requests haven't been honored. We are disappointed to hear that you have denied the AAUP donation requests simply because Tara Stevens is a member of 1199. We would expect fewer bureaucratic obstacles and more sympathy and compassion from the administration at UConn Health.

We are calling upon you to reverse this decision as quickly as possible and facilitate donations of leave time until Tara Stevens receives all of the time that she needs.

Petition by

Drew Phelan

Lebanon, New Hampshire

Sponsored by

State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition

New Britain, CT

To: Karen Buffkin, UConn’s Executive Director of Employee/Labor Relations
From: [Your Name]

To: Karen Buffkin, UConn’s Executive Director of Employee/Labor Relations

We, the undersigned union members at UConn Health, are deeply disappointed by your unwillingness to facilitate donation of leave time– which belongs to us and should be ours to give– to a fellow employee in need.

Bob Arciero, an AAUP member and orthopedic surgeon, says:

“Tara Stevens is a surgical tech who has been a valued member of our surgical team at the UCONN Health Surgery Center for 13 years.
She is without question the most talented assistant I have ever known in my 37 years of Orthopaedic practice. All the surgeons at the surgery center consistently request her. There is no question her expertise greatly facilitates the most difficult reconstructions and has an impact on excellent surgical outcomes for our patients. In addition, she is a true professional and cares about her colleagues and cases that are in other rooms. She is a tremendous teacher and teaches students, residents, and fellows every day. She was recently recognized by Springfield Tech School as the preceptor of the year.
She is facing a life-changing illness that will require 2 major surgeries and at least 8 weeks of recovery. She does not have sick time and will be forced to be without pay, placing a financial burden on her and her family. There are many of us who work with her and are in a position to donate our time to help this valued employee. At a minimum, I would like to donate the maximum number of hours I can to help.”

Tara Stevens is expected to need at least 12 weeks of medical leave and AAUP members have offered to donate more than 5 weeks of time. We are disappointed to hear that you have denied the AAUP donation requests simply because Tara Stevens is a member of 1199. We would expect fewer bureaucratic obstacles and more sympathy and compassion from the administration at UConn Health.

We are calling upon you to reverse this decision as quickly as possible and facilitate donations of leave time until Tara Stevens receives all of the time that she needs.