Press release from Mass Nurses Association – marching from Dewey Square tomorrow

M E D I A   A D V I S O R Y

Outraged RNs to Protest Outside Boston Headquarters of
Cerberus/Steward Health Care on Oct. 28

Will tell for-profit giant to honor its commitments and end culture of
corporate greed that harms nurses and their patients

BOSTON, Mass. — Outraged MNA nurses and health professionals from
eight hospitals owned and operated by Cerberus/Steward Health Care
will gather outside the for-profit giant’s corporate headquarters in
Boston on Friday, Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m. to tell Steward leadership that
it must honor its commitments, keep its promises and put an end to
oppressive practices that harm nurses/health professionals and the
patients under their care at Cerberus/Steward hospitals across the
state.

WHEN:      Friday, Oct. 28

WHERE:   Dewey Square, Occupy Boston  AND  500 Boylston St., Cerberus/
Steward Headquarters

TIME:        12:15 p.m. at Dewey Square, Boston  AND  1:30 p.m. at 500
Boylston St., Boston

WHO:        Protesters will include delegations of nurses from
Cerberus/Steward owned hospitals in the state including, St.
Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Brighton, Norwood Hospital, Good Samaritan
Hospital in Brockton, Morton Hospital in Taunton, Quincy Medical
Center, Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Holy Family Hospital in Methuen
and Merrimack Valley Hospital in Haverhill.

The Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents 3000 registered
nurses and health professionals who work at eight hospitals owned and
operated by Cerberus/Steward Health Care, have been fighting for
months to get the for-profit giant to honor its commitments and keep
its promises, including a highly publicized contractual agreement to
provide nurses with a defined benefit pension plan. In addition to
Steward’s reneging on the pension agreement, the nurses are also
protesting the hospital’s oppressive management practices, including
the firing of nurses and union advocates without just cause, the
refusal to provide appropriate staffing and the recent threats to
eliminate essential services in retaliation for the nurses’ demand
that the hospital honor its agreements. The events take place the day
after the MNA and Cerberus/Steward begin hearings before an arbitrator
over the issue of the nurses’ pension.

Despite the promises made to continue services in its voracious
acquisition of Massachusetts hospitals, Cerberus/Steward is now using
the threat of closure of these same facilities in order to justify its
refusal to honor its agreements with its nurses. Cerberus/Steward is
taking these actions despite the fact that Cerberus/Steward’s parent
company, Cerberus Capitol Management, is one of the most powerful,
multi-billion dollar private equity firms on Wall Street.

As part of the day’s events, the nurses will make a stop at the Occupy
Boston site in Dewey Square, drawing attention to the fact that
Cerberus/Steward, exemplifies the unbridled corporate greed that has
caused the current financial crisis and the undermining of the middle
class.

For more information, contact David Schildmeier at (phone number omitted due to net privacy concerns)

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As this press release shows, having a focal point is making a difference, and also perhaps, a shot of courage.  If you are in Boston, or free to join, or care about this issue, I am sure you would be welcome.  There is also a major, major march on Saturday, with the step out at 1:00 PM, see:  http://www.occupyboston.org/2011/10/24/marches-week/  As a matter of fact, the USA got a ‘flunk”  all across the board in social justice, especially as to the number and percentage of children in poverty and stratification of class structure:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/27/social-justice_n_1035363.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009