REPORT: June 2006

Mary Immaculate RNs rally for hospital’s survival

by Rolando Tomas Infante

In the rain and thunder on May 18, registered nurses from Mary Immaculate Hospital rallied to tell potential buyers that if their facility is closed or downsized, the Jamaica community would lose access to vital healthcare services.

“Why would they close down a place that has been here for about 100 years?” Barbara Matthews, chair of the NYSNA Executive Committee at the Queens facility, asked the rain-soaked crowd. “To have this hospital close would be nothing but a crime and a shame.”

The rally was coordinated by the ‘Save Our Safety Net Campaign,’ a coalition of healthcare organizations opposing hospital closures. Joining the RNs were representatives from the coalition, including 1199/SEIU, the Committee of Interns and Residents, and representatives from local community organizations.

Mary Immaculate RNs have been fighting to keep their hospital open since the hospital’s parent corporation, the Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center (SVCMC), filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year. After accumulating $1.1 billion in debt, SVCMC began looking for another corporation to take over Mary Immaculate and St. Vincent’s Staten Island.

In early May, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center submitted a bid for Mary Immaculate and was deemed the “stalking horse,” meaning that it was the preferred suitor. Other bidders will still have an opportunity to best Wyckoff’s offer in an auction later this spring. Any sale would still have to be approved by the New York State Department of Health.

NYSNA representatives shared their concern to the gathered crowd that closure or downsizing of these facilities will further limit access to care.

“This rally is not ‘just about a labor issue’,” said Therese Whittner, NYSNA nursing representative. “If nurses lose their jobs, they’ll have no trouble finding work because of the nursing shortage. But the RNs are worried that a potential closing could overburden other area healthcare facilities. These hospitals are a vital part of their communities and their essential services must be maintained.”

“We’ve gotten to a point where we can’t bend anymore,” said Maria Flores, a long-time nursing representative at Mary Immaculate and now a NYSNA organizer. “If you don’t fight back, this hospital could close.”

Meanwhile on Staten Island, Bayonne Medical Center officials announced last month that they had signed an asset purchase agreement to buy St. Vincent’s Staten Island. After meeting with Bayonne hospital officials, NYSNA came away satisfied the medical center would make the necessary investments to revitalize the St. Vincent’s Staten Island and focus on maintaining a quality work environment for RNs.

“During meetings last month with Bayonne administrative officials, we were told it was their intention to assume the nurses’ current NYSNA contract and to review the NYSNA pension plan,” said Ilyssa DeCasperis, NYSNA labor representative. “After these meetings, we feel confident that they recognize that RNs are an integral and important part of a healthy medical center.”