More Than 100 Expected At Vigil To “Bring Back Vassar” On Friday, March 11

March 11, 2022

Healthcare Workers, Patients, Seniors and Retirees, Elected Officials and More Say Connecticut-based Nuvance Health Is Destroying Their Community Hospital

• Mobile Billboard Has Been Traveling Around Poughkeepsie For Two-Days Asking: “Is Nuvance Health Bad For The Health Of Our Community?"

When: Friday, March 11, 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Press Conference at 3:30 p.m.
Available for live feed for 5 p.m. news
Interviews and photo ops can be scheduled before, during and after the event

Where: Intersection of Lincoln and Reade Place, Poughkeepsie Billboard truck will be there from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.

At a glance: WHY 1199SEIU HEALTHCARE WORKERS ARE HOLDING VIGIL

Short-staffing at Nuvance/Vassar is so severe that we are concerned the quality care we want to deliver, and that our community deserves, is being unnecessarily compromised.

Meanwhile, we are working around the clock. Entire departments have closed. As a result, fatigue and stress are prevalent. It’s no surprise that qualified caregivers have been leaving their jobs, and the short-staffing situation is getting worse.

Instead of helping to mitigate the problems, hospital management makes them worse every day. The disrespect toward healthcare workers is inexcusable.

Management’s contempt for our union is obvious. They made negotiations for a one-year contract extension far more problematic than they needed to be. Labor law violations are piling up. Newly organized 1199ers are being treated like second-class citizens.

We don’t only “work” at Vassar. As residents of the community, Vassar is where we turn when our families need care.

We will not stand by and watch Nuvance destroy our community hospital. It’s time that out-of-state, corporate Nuvance listen to us and pay attention to the needs of the Hudson Valley rather than solely investing in their Connecticut facilities!

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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.