L&M will not negotiate if rank-and-file members are present
By Matt O'Connor
Editor's Note: L&M is also the owner of Westerly Hospital which is NOT directly impacted by this labor dispute. Yet.
Management at L&M Hospital yesterday walked away from their agreement
last week to meet on Tuesday for talks to end their lockout, now in its eighth
day.
Their representatives had indicated
they would not meet again unless talks were "closed," meaning they
would be limited to members of our union's negotiating committee. We have been
clear on this point. We cannot agree to further disenfranchising our members
and allowing the corporation's record of false claims and mischaracterizations
of the issues being discussed to continue.
We don't just hope their
representatives show up. We hope they are ready to work to reach a mutual
resolution on the patient care delivery issues at the heart of this crisis.
In the meantime, we are continuing
to assist our members with filing for unemployment insurance with the state
labor department. The first hearing on claims is scheduled for Tuesday at the CT Department of Labor’s New London office.
We are also doing all we can to
mitigate the hardship of the corporation's decision to cut off healthcare
coverage for our members. We have enlisted the federal labor department’s
employee benefits security administration to assist with obtaining medical and
dental insurance through COBRA.
Meanwhile, the community continues
to demonstrate it is solidly behind its hospital’s nurses and techs. Monday morning, local clergy, political leaders, and advocates joined our members for
a round table discussion on healthcare access at St. Mary's Star of the Sea
Church in New London. Monday night, the local Elks Club hosted a pasta dinner that
was attended by approximately 350 caregivers and family members.
