Second union to picket Saint Vincent over low staffing complaints

Photo | Grant Welker Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester

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By Grant Welker

Saint Vincent Hospital has been in the headlines for striking nurses picketing outside the Worcester hospital after the two sides failed to reach terms of a new contract.

Now Saint Vincent is facing trouble with a second union, which represents 600 workers spread among patient care assistants, critical care technicians, clerks, clinical support, housekeeping and other jobs. That union is expected to begin picketing Saturday along with the nurses, alleging the same lack of patient support from Saint Vincent and its parent company, Dallas-based for-profit Tenet Healthcare, with what it says are patient-to-staff ratios that have grown by half in the past 15 years.

"These workers are the backbone of St. Vincent’s and keep every department running," the United Food and Commercial Workers said, which represents the new picketing workers, in a statement Friday.

Saint Vincent's contract with United Food and Commercial Workers expired at the end of February. The union also includes radiology assistants, operating room aides and pulmonary technicians, among others. Unlike the nurses, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the new union is not striking yet, just picketing. The United Food and Commercial Workers hasn't given the hospital a required 10-day notice before a strike.

"The hospital is surprised and disappointed that the union has decided to take this step, especially only five days after the union gave the hospital its wage proposal," Saint Vincent said in a statement Friday. "Regardless of the union’s actions, Saint Vincent Hospital’s goal is to bargain in good faith and reach an agreement that works for its employees and the hospital. Our hospital will remain operational and our focus will continue to be on providing excellent care for our community."

The hospital's roughly 800-member local branch of the Massachusetts Nurses Association began striking on Monday, with about 15% of members staying on the job. The remainder have been filled by replacement nurses.