FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2010

CONTACT:
Joyce Gibson, Administrative Organizer
Cell Phone: 304-617-3678
 
ASHLAND, KY - It has been weeks since 77 employees received notice from Kings Daughters Medical Center that they would be placed on lay off when management 'made the very difficult decision to reduce the number of team members the medical center employs'1, but employees have yet to receive any information to back up claims for financial hardship.

Request for financial documents supporting Kings Daughters' statements of economic distress caused by the recession facing our community have only been met with delay tactics. However, publicly available earnings documents reveal the possible reasoning behind the lack of transparency with the public.

Based on KDMC's most recent publically available quarterly financial statement for the period ending December 31, 2009, it shows that the hospital had a 22% increase in total unrestricted revenue over the same period in the prior year. In the same period the hospital also realized a 54% increase in net operating income. KDMC_FY2010_Q1.pdf

"The employees of the hospital are concerned that management is making decisions that could place the quality care at risk at KDMC," said Joyce Gibson, Administrative Organizer with SEIU District 1199. "The long term effects to the care of our community may be adversely affected by short term financial decisions."

"KDMC has been listed as one of the Top 100 employers in the country," said Gibson. "Management should provide information showing their justification for laying off 77 hard working employees and the services they provide to the community."

SEIU District 1199 plans to file additional charges with the National Labor Relations Board for failure to provide information, adding to current charges already filed against KDMC for unfair labor practices against employees.

1: Direct quote from KDMC statement regarding layoffs.

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SEIU 1199 members organized a food drive and on Aug. 21, 2010, distributed items to fellow members who were recently laid off by Kings Daughters Medical Center.  See photos.

A WSAZ local news report on the Union member-to-member food drive interviewed SEIU Executive Board member Pam Booth from Cabell-Huntington Hospital, as well as KDMC workers affected by the layoff:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 21, 2010

CONTACT:
Joyce Gibson, Administrative Organizer
Cell Phone: 304-617-3678
 
ASHLAND, KY - Kings Daughters Medical Center is playing a dangerous game of chess with patient care and many employees feel as though they are being treated like pawns. Workers are outraged after learning late this afternoon that with 77 bargaining unit members currently on layoff, KDMC would recall 15 employees for a variety of positions, regardless of their previous position or ability to perform the job.

This would require employees to return to work for less hours, less pay and possibly no benefits or be terminated from employment losing their unemployment compensation and access to healthcare through COBRA. Many of those currently on lay off see this as another move by the hospital management to devalue their work at the risk of quality care of the community.

"The administration of this hospital sees the workers here like pawns on a chess board. They want to move them around without regard to their ability to perform the work or areas of expertise," said Joyce Gibson, Administrative Organizer with SEIU District 1199. "KDMC employees are not expendable, replaceable or transferable. Our members are experts at their jobs and we will not sit idly by while management treats them like interchangeable resources."

SEIU District 1199 plans to file charges with the National Labor Relations Board, adding to current charges already filed against KDMC for unfair labor practices against employees.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 5, 2010

CONTACT:
Anthony Caldwell, Media Relations Liaison
Phone: 330-651-2042

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Thanks to the efforts of thousands of SEIU members contacting Congress, a Senate vote today cleared the way for passage of the much-needed extension of the enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP)

The extension provides critical funding to maintain jobs in the public sector, hospitals, nusing homes and other healthcare facilities. Ohio stands to receive about $513 million from the increased federal match through June 2011, while West Virginia will get $81 million and Kentucky will get $158 million.

"Today the Senate protected hundreds of thousands of American jobs," said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry. "Our economic recovery depends on putting people back to work in good jobs with decent wages and keeping the rest of us working. Thanks to today's bipartisan vote and the leadership of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, kids will keep their teachers and we can all still count on the cops, firefighters, and other public service workers who keep our communities safe and livable."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 28, 2010

CONTACT:
Rob Johnson, Coordinator
Phone: 304-617-0946

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 27, 2010

CONTACT:
Rob Johnson, Coordinator
Phone: 304-617-0946