contract

Nurses and other healthcare professionals share stories that expose the impact on patients when Temple Hospital maximizes profits by cutting medical supplies, understaffing and decreasing patients' length of stay at the hospital. PASNAP (Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals) are striking over a contract that would institute a 'gag clause,' effectively barring these health professionals from advocating for patient safety.

 
The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP) is winning an ongoing battle against Temple University Hospital. PASNAP wants reimbursement for tuition benefits that Temple abruptly stopped providing last March despite the fact that the benefits are part of their current contract. Jerry Silberman, staff representative, spoke with me about this legal fight and also discussed PASNAP's negotiations for a new contract.

The mainstream press across Philadelphia is turning commuters against transit workers. Instead of practicing journalism and explaining to the public why transit workers have gone on strike, they have instead given a platform to one side of the contract negotiations and helped the Mayor pit working people across the city against the drivers and engineers who get us to work everyday.

Photos by Mariel Waloff
 
Yesterday afternoon, hundreds of Philadelphians came out in the rain to send a message to state legislators (who were meeting nearby) that Mayor Nutter's attempt to balance the city budget on the backs of city workers is unacceptable.

 
On Tuesday, public employees from four major unions in Philadelphia (TWU 234, AFSCME D.C. 33 and D.C. 47 and SEIU 32BJ), will hold a rally to demand that local and state politicians do not solve the city and state fiscal shortfall on the backs of working class families and public employees.Squeezing low-wage workers is no way to deal with the economic crisis,said Wayne MacManiman, 32BJ Mid-Atlantic Area Director. We are calling on Mayor Nutter to protect the wages of the working people who keep our City running.”The rally comes at a critical time, as workers in AFSCME DC 33 and DC 47 as well as police and firefighters have been working without a contract since June 30th. While these unions are currently in contract negotiations with the City of Philadelphia, there is speculation that it will be difficult to find compromise as the Mayor seeks to flatten workers' wages and cut contributions in healthcare and pension.
 
Check out MMP's audio and video coverage of the last public employees rallyhere