Howard University Hospital Nurses Hit Street Against RIFS
Thursday, April 10, 2014(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Janice Bashorun
has been a clinical nurse for 38 years. On Thursday, despite trouble with her
legs that requires a special walker, she found herself walking an informational
picket line in front of Howard University Hospital (HUH), chanting “Nurses
care
for patient safety!” with dozens of other DCNA and NNU nurses and their
supporters as passing traffic honked support. “This is not what I want to be
doing,” said Bashorun (center,
in purple shirt). “I did not come to work today to be standing out
here, but if they push you out on the street that’s where you’ve got to
go.”
DCNA was protesting HUH’s decision to implement a reduction in force (RIF)
that
they say violates their contract. “RIF from the bottom up,” said Bashorun,
who’s served on the DCNA Executive Board for 25 years. “It makes no sense
to
RIF 30-year nurses. It affects everyone in the hospital (and) it just doesn’t
work. It’s always about the patients; the only reason I work is because I
care
about my patients. Our patients know us by name; it’s personal for them and
for
us.”
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report/photo by Chris Garlock