AS A RESULT OF HOUSEKEEPERS, CLERGY AND ELECTED LEADERS SPEAKING UP AGAINST DISMISSALS MANY WORKERS

[Omaha Steve]

AS A RESULT OF HOUSEKEEPERS, CLERGY AND ELECTED LEADERS SPEAKING UP AGAINST DISMISSALS MANY WORKERS WIN THEIR JOBS BACK

http://1199seiu.org/media/press.cfm?pr_id=1490

However, St. Mary’s Medical Center’s Housekeeping Subcontractor Xanitos Tells Long-Time Employees ‘Accents Are Too Strong’ and Unnecessarily Forces Workers to Unemployment Lines

West Palm Beach, FL –Workers, clergy and elected leaders held a press conference to speak out against a St. Mary’s Medical Center housekeeping contractor, Xanitos, which appeared to be sending many housekeepers to the unemployment lines today.

“While we are relieved that many workers have been rehired, some housekeepers are still waiting to hear whether they have jobs today and others showed up to work to find out they no longer have jobs,” said Dale Ewart, Assistant Regional Director for 1199SEIU Florida. “We urge St. Mary’s to intervene to improve the communication between its subcontractor and employees.”

St. Mary’s has refused to intervene and protect housekeepers’ jobs even though the hospital has an agreement with the Service Employees International Union that requires them to guarantee the jobs and wages of any employees whose positions are subcontracted. The union filed a grievance against St. Mary’s and filed a lawsuit against the hospital on November 5th.

Over the last month, workers have made repeated attempts to communicate with the subcontractor and St. Mary’s, which included sending letter to St. Mary’s CEO Davide Carbone, making numerous phone calls, filing a grievance, filing a lawsuit and making inquiries at union contract negotiations.

Workers were told that in order to be rehired, Xanitos, a Pennsylvania-based company, would subject workers to reading paragraphs out loud to test their English skills. According to the workers, they were not told how the tests would be measured and they were not told who needed to take the tests. Many were also told that they had passed the tests, but when they arrived to work today, they were out of a job.

FULL story at link.

[demosincebirth]

1. Religious sticking up for workers?? no way.

:sarcasm: