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St. Vincent's Strike
Letter from Senator Kerry to Tenet CEO
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510-2102
One Bowdoin Square
Tenth Floor
Boston, MA 02114
April 26, 2000
Mr. Jeffrey C. Barakow
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Tenet Health Care
3820 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Jeff,
The purpose of this letter is to share with you
my concerns about the on-going labor dispute at St. Vincent's Hospital
in Worcester, MA. Since Friday, March 31, 2000, the majority
of the nurses have been on strike and it is my hope that this situation
can be resolved quickly.
St. Vincent's provides a vital service to the larger
Worcester community, and I know first-hand the quality and dedication
of the nurses that staff the facility. I believe that the
long-term health of St. Vincent's is at the core of their concerns.
A majority of the nurses reside in the very community that depends
on the services provided at the hospital, and many of the nurses
have worked there for the majority of their professional lives.
Specifically, I am concerned that mandatory overtime puts an undue
burden on the nurses, and I believe that the practice has the very
real potential to decrease the quality of care for which St. Vincent's
and its staff is justly recognized. I believe that nurses
are acting in good faith and remain hopeful that the substantial
common ground shared by both parties does not become overshadowed
by the points of difference.
My support of the nurses does not take away from
my awareness and concern about the overall fiscal health of our
hospitals, since the breadth of my role dictates that I work on
behalf of all the residents of the Commonwealth, be they employers
or employees. Last year I proposed the most comprehensive
and far-reaching bill aimed at reducing the cuts inflicted by the
Balanced Budget Act, and this immensely important bill lost by only
one vote. Throughout the rest of this session and into next
year, I will continue to work on stabilizing the federal funding
mechanisms that affect hospitals. However, my ability to maintain
that level of advocacy is hampered when I see evidence that fiscal
burdens are being managed by mandating that nurses perform extra
hours of work.
I remain hopeful that, as long as a productive dialogue
is in place and both parties act in good faith, a resolution will
surface soon. Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
John F. Kerry
United States Senate
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