Washington Hospital Center Nurses Return To Table

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

"We're ready, we're able, we're going to the table!" The nurses' chant filled the hall outside Washington Hospital Center CEO John Sullivan's office early Monday morning. Over 100 nurses garbed in red scrubs - National Nurses United members have been wearing red in solidarity for the last three Mondays - then crowded into Sullivan's office to deliver petitions signed by more than 1,200 WHC nurses. "We love this hospital but nurses feel like we're being disrespected," the nurses told Linda Taylor, Sullivan's assistant, who accepted the petitions on his behalf. Contract negotiations resumed last Thursday and with another session set for Monday, the petitions called on Sullivan "to address the key unresolved issues" including a commitment to safe nurse staffing, health and pension benefits, paid time off and fair wage increases. - report/photo by Chris Garlock