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Workers at Hennepin County Medical Center are speaking out about the effects of some 200 layoffs at the downtown Minneapolis hospital and clinic.
The workers include schedulers, custodians, pharmacy and accounting staff, who say they are deeply concerned that the elimination of their positions will compromise the quality of care that patients deserve.
“This was handled very haphazardly,” says Local 2474 president Sara Franck, an HCMC dental assistant. “They did not meet with us to strategize. They made very poor decisions that patients are going to affected by. They do not have enough people to do the work, to care for the patients who depend on us, who need us to survive.”
Local 977 President Carmen Brown says it’s the frontline workers targeted by the layoffs who do much of the work: They clean and sanitize the hospital, make the food, greet people and check them in. They schedule appointments, set up insurance coverage and make sure patients get their medication.
The union has filed suit, seeking a temporary restraining order against the layoffs.
The lawsuit charges that HCMC violated the AFSCME contract in multiple ways, including:
- Outsourcing work and hiring non-union contract workers to replace laid-off workers.
- Violating the rights of veterans, who are entitled to keep a job as long as it exists.
- Not laying off contract and temporary workers first.
- Not doing layoffs based on seniority, not giving workers notice of their bumping rights and not giving them enough time to decide what to do.
The matter is scheduled to go before Hennepin County District Court Judge Amy Dawson on April 18. Between now and the court date, workers are telling their stories. They will be posted on the AFSCME website and a Workday Minnesota special section.