New Yorkers on Month-Long Trek to Save Hospitals

Two members of Local 1168, Nurses United, are walking the entire distance from Buffalo to the state capital, Albany, in a public awareness campaign to preserve quality patient care and thousands of health care jobs in western New York.

Dawn Mele and Pat Sullivan set out on their 320-mile journey on Jan. 2, accompanied by local President John Klein, local executive board members and members of Locals 1122 and 1133. They began with a prayer service at DeGraff Memorial Hospital and that first day marched to Millard Fillmore Gates Circle in Buffalo.

DeGraff and Millard Fillmore are two of nine hospitals slated to be closed or converted to a different use as recommended by a state commission to curb skyrocketing Medicaid costs. St. Joseph's Hospital, also in the Buffalo area, also has been targeted by the commission, putting a total of 4,000 CWA-represented jobs at risk.

"The commission's recommendation became law Jan. 1, but now there's talk of tweaking it legislatively," Klein said.  Klein and others have signed on for part of the walk, either starting at the beginning or joining up along the way. He and the two women hope to meet with Gov. Eliot Spitzer and legislative leaders when they arrive in Albany around Jan. 26 to seek increased funding for hospitals instead of closings, privatization and Medicaid cuts.

"Rather than closing down excellent medical facilities, our leaders need to be focused on providing even better care and affordable access to health care for the people of New York," said District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton.

On Jan. 3 a state Supreme Court justice issued a temporary restraining order blocking the closings until a suit filed by public interest lawyers on behalf of a Bronx resident can be heard.

"Part of the reason for this walk is to listen to the community, which the commission did not do," Klein said. "If they're going to implement any part of this report, they need to listen to the people who know health care, not just the business people and insurance companies."

Mele, an anatomic pathology assistant at Millard Fillmore, on the eighth day of the walk said community support has been wonderful. "We've had people hanging out their windows and doors. They've been great to us. An older gentleman came down to the end of his driveway and gave us a pack of Cokes."

She said patients are concerned about how long it will take them to get to another hospital if the closings go forward.

"In our area, there are three major ERs being shut down. In October, when we had a storm, all three were at capacity. Who's going to take care of these people?" she asked.