Workers at Santa Rosa Memorial protest elimination of vital health services

March 24th, 2008

Dozens of caregivers from Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital (SRMH), joined by concerned Sonoma Country residents, ran a spirited informational picket in front of the St. Joseph Health System owned facility on Tuesday, March 18th, as part of their ongoing fight against service cuts and layoffs. The action comes as SRMH continues with plans to lay off 212 workers and close three units at the hospital, including the only inpatient psychiatric unit in the entire county.

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The picket was held five days after a delegation of workers presented a petition to CEO George Perez signed by over 800 SRMH staff calling for a halt to the layoffs and expressing deep concern about the loss of services to the community.

Hospital workers at St. Joseph Health System (SJHS) are in the midst of an organizing campaign involving thousands of workers across California. This campaign is one of the largest unionization efforts by healthcare workers underway across the country, and workers are determined to form a union so they can have a voice for themselves and patients at their hospitals.

The campaign moves on with a Community Speak-Out this Saturday, March 22nd, in Santa Rosa. The event will feature community, religious and political leaders joining together to address Sonoma County’s healthcare crisis. For more information on this event and our statewide campaign please visit http://www.justiceatstjhs.org.