Letter to Ronald Rittenmeyer, Executive Chairman and CEO Tenet Healthcare - Warren, Markey, McGovern, Trahan Denounce Decision by Tenet Healthcare to Permanently Replace Frontline Workers
Letter
Mr. Rittenmeyer:
We are writing to express our dismay and disappointment over Tenet Healthcare's (Tenet) recent
announcement to permanently replace nurses at St. Vincent Hospital (St. Vincent's). As frontline workers, nurses are respected members of our community who devote their careers to caring and protecting our loved ones in times of need. Over the past year, nurses not only sacrificed their own health but the health of their families to protect our community during the worst public health crisis in a generation.
The nurses at St. Vincent's have been on a legally authorized work stoppage since March 8, 2021. The 800 professional nurses at St. Vincent's, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), overwhelmingly supported a work stoppage with the intention of reaching an agreement with Tenet that provides nurses with the staffing resources and conditions that they need to keep their patients safe.
Recently, we were encouraged to see an effort by Tenet to re-engage the nurses on the central issue that continues to leave the negotiations in a stalemate: staffing. It is our understanding that a staffing proposal was made by the MNA St. Vincent Nurses Committee that would settle this central issue. Instead of engaging in a back and forth to reach an agreement, we were shocked to learn that Tenet declined to return to the table and instead decided to invest further resources to prolong this work stoppage and begin to permanently replace these dedicated and respected nurses. There should be no discussion whatsoever to replace striking workers, especially after everything these nurses have gone through the last year.
These actions are causing great harm to our community and undermine workers' right to organize. Once again, we urge Tenet to return to the table and conclude these negotiations so St. Vincent nurses can go back to doing what they do best -- caring for our community.
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