northeastern hospital

In this audio piece, Kate Harkins, of Temple University's Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) discusses what she learned from listening to the stories of Temple Nurses and Allied Professionals (members of PASNAP).

In the midst of a national health care reform battle, a small drama unfolds in northeast Philadelphia. Last week, the Pennsylvania House held up $175 million in additional funding to Temple University. Representative John Taylor described the move as a “wake up call for Temple University” to live up to their responsibility to the public.

Since January, nurses inside Hahnemann Hospital in Center City Philadelphia have been working towards unionizing. Despite the union-busting tactics employed by Tenet management, nurses have organized in support of joining Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP).

Currently, Hahnemann workers are awaiting a decision from the National Labor Relations Board to find out if the results of their recent union vote will be counted.

In the midst of this uncertainty, one nurse agreed to an anonymous interview with Labor Justice Radio. He explains the events that led up to the union election and talks about what is at stake for nurses like himself.

La ciudadanía se encuentra en medio de un debate nacional para elegir
el mejor camino para arreglar nuestro defectuoso sistema de salud y
conseguir cobertura médica para quienes carecen de seguro o cuentan con
una cobertura insuficiente. Mientras la atención se enfoca en los
niveles estatal y federal, la ciudad de Philadelphia está a punto de
perder otra institución vital que sirve las necesidades de salud de los
pobres y de la clase trabajadora de la ciudad: el Hospital

People across the country are in the midst of a debate about the best path to fixing our broken health care system and getting quality healthcare to the un/underinsured. While attention is focused at the state and federal levels, the city of Philadelphia is about to lose another vital institution that serves the healthcare needs of poor and working class Philadelphians--Northeastern Hospital. This city-wide struggle to save Northeasterngoes hand-in-hand with the national fight. Keeping Northeastern Hospital open and fixing our country' healthcare system are two sides of the same coin. Listen to a report from Labor Justice Radio.

Tomorrow the communities fighting to save Northeastern Hospital will converge on a Temple University fundraiser. Temple University Health System announced March 23rd that they will close Northeastern--a busy hospital that serves Port Richmond, Fishtown, Kensington, Juniata and Bridesburg--at the end of May. For months, State Senator Stack and Representative Taylor asked them to work with government for a solution; Temple adamantly declined. Tomorrow, we all have a chance to support this struggle for the health of our city.

Members of the Coalition to Save Northeastern Hospital- a group of community leaders, healthcare workers, and state elected officials- gathered Tuesday to discuss next steps in their fight to keep Northeastern Hospital open. State Representative John Taylor described Temple University Health System's (TUHS) unwillingness to extend the closure timeline or help find a solution. At this point, no one is answering the question of how Northeastern's patients and 850 direct employees will cope with the closure.

On this month's edition of Labor Justice Radio:

+ Housing Organizers Frame the Economic Crisis

+ Community Responds to Northeastern Hospital Closure

+ Security Guards Speak Out about City Cuts to Wages

+ Cab Drivers Discuss Economic Survival under Rising Fees

+ Low Wage Workers continue to Organize in Baltimore

Plus music and other news.