Support Merrimack Valley nurses in contract fight.
Joseph Roach and Craig Jesiolowski, Presidents, Steward Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack Valley
Petition in support of nurses at Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack Valley (HFHMV) who are attempting to negotiate a new, fair union contract.
145 registered nurses at HFMV, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have been attempting for several months to negotiate a new union contract, yet the hospital has failed to engage in a good faith effort to negotiate with the nurses.
In December 2015, the MNA began its efforts to work with Steward to begin negotiations for a successor agreement, yet Steward refused to provide necessary information requested by the MNA to begin fruitful talks. In response, the MNA filed its first charge of unfair labor practices against Steward Holy Family at Merrimack Valley on February 22, 2016 with the National Labor Relations Board. To date 15 negotiating sessions have been held.
Join the Workers' Rights Board meeting to show your support on September 20, 6:00pm - 8:00pm, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 16 Ashland St., Haverhill, 01830 (call 857-266-3559 for more information).
Sponsored by
To:
Joseph Roach and Craig Jesiolowski, Presidents, Steward Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack Valley
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Presidents Roach and Jesiolowski,
We are writing to express our concerns for the nurses of Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack Valley, who provide the compassionate, dedicated care at our hospital. As community people, along with faith and labor leaders, we can attest to the importance of having a community hospital that is accessible and is known for its great care to our friends and families.
Steward Healthcare reported $17.2 million in profits for the two campuses of HFH last year, with overall Steward 2015 profit of $131 million. Despite these returns, we are dismayed by Steward’s treatment of nurses, which has caused too many to find employment at other facilities, where they find greater support and respect. Over the last two years, our hospital lost 70 RNs or 41% of RN staff. That is an extraordinary turnover rate. It is troubling to know that members of the community who have sought the good care of the hospital have found that there was not a room on many days. The rooms are there, but there were not enough nurses to staff them.
These nurses are our neighbors and friends. They demonstrated their commitment to us when they sacrificed their own wages for the health of our community: They agreed to a 0% increase in wage scales for three years, 2012, 2013 and 2014, followed by a ½% increase in 2015. The hospital’s owners publicize that it supports the community by paying taxes (as would be the norm for for-profit companies). But we have not heard the company’s appreciation for Haverhill’s subsidies for its labor costs (as is not the norm for for-profit companies): The City continues to pay for the health and retirement benefits of current hospital staff who were employed when it was owned by the City. We call on your company to support the community by respecting the sacrifices and loyalty of the nurses.
Continuing to be intractable in contract negotiations, such as by denying simple information requests, denying a fair wage proposal, and failing to provide a promised pension will hasten the departure of staff to the detriment of the public’s health. This is also just the wrong way to treat decent caring people.
We are sure that this hospital can both do well while doing good. We call on you to do the right thing by the staff of the hospital, and by so doing, to do the right thing by the community.