Union still fighting Memorial Hospital layoffs
By: Rebecca Turco
Email: rturco@abc6.com
PAWTUCKET, R.I. – A local union chapter is still fighting the fight as Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket plans to potentially lay off roughly 200 employees.
The low-volume hospital under Care New England hasn’t made a profit in almost ten years, losing $3 million a month since July alone, according to hospital officials. In a prior interview following the restructuring announcement two months ago, they said it’s a necessary cost-cutting move. They couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday.
The head of the local United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) union, Rita Brennan, is a nurse at the Birthing Center, one of three units on the chopping block.
“It’s been very difficult for all of us [workers],” she said. “We’re trying to hold it together for each other, and we’re also trying to hold it together so our patients don’t see the…despair that we feel."
It’s up to the Department of Health to decide whether the hospital can close the three departments and transfer patients to other hospitals under the Care New England umbrella.
A department spokesman sent ABC6 News a statement, saying: “The Department of Health has received Care England’s application to transfer inpatient obstetrics services at Memorial Hospital to Women & Infants Hospital and Kent County Memorial Hospital. We will continue to review that application and will issue a decision within 90 days.”
The Department of Health and UNAP’s lawyers met before a judge Thursday. UNAP lawyers are fighting for an evidentiary hearing so evidence and testimony can be presented on both sides. They want other alternatives besides a partial shut-down to be considered, like appealing for more community support in the form of donors.
"This is an underserved population and for that reason alone, and the obligation to provide a balanced mix of primary and specialty care services, they ought to keep it open, period,” said UNAP Lawyer Chris Callaci.
Both sides are set to meet before a judge again Wednesday.
© WLNE-TV 2016
