02.10.2006

Nurses at Cape Cod Hospital Up in Arms over Staffing Cutbacks/Layoff of 60 Nurses

Mount Public Campaign and Petition Drive to Fight for Safe Staffing

Nurses at Cape Cod Hospital are mobilizing to oppose the recently announced layoff of more than 60 registered nurses at the hospital at a time when nurse staffing levels have been cut back and hundreds of nursing positions have been deliberately left unfilled—creating a dangerous enviornment for patients in the hospital.

More than 300 nurses attended emergency open meetings held this week at the Bayside Resort, offering resounding support for a campaign to educate and mobilize the public to join the nurses in convincing the hospital management and trustees to suspend the lay off, and to work with the nurses' union to negotiate safe staffing levels at the facility.

Among the actions being taken by the nurses is a Cape Cod-wide petition drive and leafleting campaign to educate the community that they have the most to lose from the CCH staffing proposals.

"We intend to fight hospital management to the bitter end over this issue," said Marilyn Rouette, chair of the MNA local bargaining unit at Cape Cod Hospital. "Nurses will be out in shopping centers, post offices, at their kids basketball games and dance recitals, at senior centers and anywhere people gather to talk to them about this issue and to have them sign our petition for safe patient care. Those who have the most to lose in this fight are the patients we care for."

Click here to review a consumer flyer on the issue.

Click her for a copy of the nurses' petition for safe patient care.