Local 5030 members march on Staffing Committee to express concerns

Members took action on safe staffing at Palisades Medical Center on Tuesday, February 20 after management failed to follow through on a commitment to create 134 new positions made to the union during the last cycle of negotiations. We still face chronic short staffing in all departments on a daily basis. This dire situation puts stress on our membership and jeopardizes patient care and safety.

The members at Local 5030 said enough was enough and mobilized to march on the boss which changed the dynamic of the scheduled staffing meeting and forced them to address these concerns. Members spoke out during the meeting offering testimony to the struggles they face everyday related to patient care. Members also spoke about patients not receiving safe care which is directly related to management’s failure to live up to its commitment of staffing the hospital at safe levels, something the 134 new positions would have remedied.

“We expect to establish ratios during this round of negotiations since you failed to support the staff”  said Mickie Miquiabas, President, Local 5030.  Others members who participated were Jessica Karanikozo, Yoanna Agedelo, Yiela Castillo, Emma Castro, Maiome Ortiz, Venessa Cruz, Shera Sweeny, Pamela Feller, Nancy Martell, Bruce DeMercurio, Johnny Maya.  Nancy Martell, Co-Vice President is the chair person for the staffing committee which meets once a month and she encourages members to continue to use this and other protected forms of concerted activity to address issues we face at work. Solidarity!