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West Virginia state hospital employees - members of UE Local 170, West Virginia Public Workers Union - brought their ongoing complaints to the headquarters of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), with a July 17 picket line. The hospital employees work for the West Virginia Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities, part of DHHR. UE Local 170 has nearly 400 members at six of the bureau's state hospitals and nursing homes, located around the state.
Chanting, "What do we want? Dignity! When do we want it? Now!" workers picketed outside the front door of DHHR headquarters. After their lunch-hour picket line, employees went into the building to request a meeting with Rocco Fucillo, Acting Secretary of DHHR, and Victoria Jones, Commissioner of the BBHHF. A DHHR representative said that neither Fucillo or Jones were available, but said she would relay the employees' concerns. (A follow-up e-mail from Harold Clifton, Director of DHHR's Office of Human Resources Management, said the department was working on scheduling a meeting with the employees.)
The picket line received extensive media coverage, including news articles in the Charleston Gazette and Charleston Daily Mail.
Because West Virginia public workers lack collective bargaining rights, UE Local 170 mobilize workers in direct action to get the state to address their complaints. Over the past year, UE members have rallied at both William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital in Weston and Mildred-Mitchell Bateman Hospital in Huntington, demanding action on the deteriorating working conditions at both facilities. Workers say that bad working conditions are making it hard for state hospital employees to provide the level of care that residents and patients need and deserve.
"These problems have been going on for years, but it doesn't seem like DHHR is making any progress," said Jamie Beaton, UE Local 170's chief steward and a health service worker at William R. Sharpe, Jr. Hospital. Beaton was interviewed by news reporters during the July 17 protest.
Hospital workers' complaints include, understaffing, over-bedding, mandatory overtime, unsafe working conditions, inadequate staff training, low pay, unjust discipline and violations of employees' right to representation, and violations of their rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Late last year, Local 170 notified DHHR intends to sue if these problems are not resolved.
Earlier this summer, UE members at the state hospitals launched a campaign called "Stand Up for the Rights of West Virginia State Hospital Employees," which includes leafleting and petitioning their co-workers. The petitions, to be delivered when DHHR officials meet with the union, call for an end to mandatory overtime, understaffing and unjust discipline and terminations. The petition demands that DHHR respect their employees' right to representation, and their FMLA, ADA and FLSA rights. The petition also demands improved wages, working conditions and collective bargaining rights. As part of their campaign and to show solidarity with one and another, the state hospital employees are wearing red wristbands that read, "Standing Up for the Rights of West Virginia State Hospital Employees." The state hospital employees are also meeting with their legislators to inform them of the ongoing problems at their facilities.