Fallon CEO, Congressman McGovern, Worcester Mayor Mariano and Worcester Delegation Call Upon Tenet CEO to Come To Worcester to Settle Strike, Get St. Vs Nurses Back To Work, Cite Concerns Over Quality of Care at Worcester Medical Center By Replacement Nurses

• Related Announcement, Gov. Cellucci Steps Up Monitoring by DPH and Federal Agency of Care Quality at Worcester Medical Center

• 65 Physicians Sign Petition Calling for Tenet Settlement and Striking Nurses' Return

The press conference was organized by Worcester Mayor Raymond Mariano, Congressman James McGovern, along with the Worcester legislative delegation from Worcester.  It followed Tenet's decision on April 21 to break off talks with the nurses unless and until they accept the corporation's demand for mandatory 16-hour shifts.  The nurses, who are anxious to resume talks towards a settlement, have already made a concession, agreeing to work up to four hours of mandatory overtime.  On April 21, Tenet refused the nurses' proposal, shut off talks with the nurses and instead announced it intends to seek permanent replacements for the nurses. 

"We are gratified that our political leadership, and Fallon Community Health Plan have made this request to settle this strike," said Sandy Ellis, spokesperson for the nurses bargaining unit.  "Fallon is fulfilling its obligation to its members to ensure that they receive the quality of care they deserve.  It has been clear to the nurses, based on numerous daily reports we have received from patients, physicians and technicians inside Worcester Medical Center, that the care being provided by replacement nurses is sub-standard at best."
 
Also yesterday, Gov. Paul Cellucci's office announced that he has requested the State Department of Public Health (DPH) and the federal Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA) to step up investigation and monitoring of the care being provided at Worcester Medical Center.   According to DPH official Paul Jacobson, DPH and HCFA will conduct an inspection of the new $215 million facility "in the near future."

Under the Governor's directive, DPH will make public any incidents investigated by the agency, and establish a toll-free hotline for patients and family members to report any problems they have at the Medical Center.  The number is (800) 462-5540.

The nurses continue to obtain support from all sectors of the community.  On Tuesday night, April 25, the Global Action Network, a student activist network including students from Clark University, Worcester State College and College of Holy Cross, agreed to join with Community Caring for Nurses, a newly formed activist group, in a community-wide effort to support the nurses.  The Global Action Network will begin their activism on behalf of the nurses by picketing with the nurses on Saturday, April 30, 2000 from noon to 4 p.m.

Last week, more than 65 physicians at St. Vincent's Hospital signed a petition calling upon Tenet to settle the nurses contract and get them back to their patients bedside. The petition, which was mailed to Tenet CEO Bob Maher, read:  "We the undersigned physicians of St. Vincent's Hospital/Worcester Medical Center hereby petition Tenet Health Care management to get back to the table with the St. Vincent's Hospital/Worcester Medical Center nurses in order to reach a settlement of the nurses contract.  Our aim here is not to advocate for the terms of the settlement, but to express our desire for Tenet to do what is necessary to get our nurses back at the bedside, and to restore the high level of patient care only they are capable of delivering."  

"We are so gratified that so many of our physicians have taken the courageous step of signing this petition," said Ellis.  "We know that Tenet has forbid these people from even talking to us.  It takes great courage for them to stand up for us as they have.  It is also very validating that they want us back at the bedside.  We know they have been very unhappy with the quality of care being provided by replacement nurses.  We only hope Tenet heeds their request and settles this contract so that we can rejoin our colleagues." 

The nurses have been attempting to negotiate their first contract with Tenet, the nation's second largest for-profit hospital chain, for more than two years. The 615 nurses have organized a union and been using the collective bargaining process to address their primary concerns about inadequate staffing levels and deplorable working conditions under Tenet management.  Tenet's staffing levels are the worst of the 85 facilities where the Massachusetts Nurses Association represents nurses in the state. St. Vincent's nurses on the day shift are regularly assigned between 8 – 10 patients on days, and between 12 – 14 patients on nights.  A safe assignment is no more than six patients on days, and 8 patients on nights.  The nurses have filed more than 450 official reports of unsafe statting assignments that "jeopardize patient care."

Tenet purchased St. Vincent's Hospital in 1997, and has also built the new $215 million Worcester Medical Center in downtown Worcester.   Tenet was scheduled to open the new facility and move the patients into it on April 1, 2000.  The move was postponed for two days because of problems with care being delivered by more than 120 replacement "scab" nurses provided by U.S. Nursing Corps, a Denver-based firm that specializes in providing strike breaking nurses to hospitals involved in labor disputes.   The nurses are paid more than $4,000 per week as well as food and lodging.  The move to Worcester Medical Center took place on April 3, 2000. 

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