2001, as the school district invoked terrorism as justification for the
arrests.
IAM-represented Respiratory Therapists in
first contract, are confronted by SWAT teams and police snipers.
IAM i-mail,
http://www.goiam.org/territories.asp?c=3934
International President Tom Buffenbarger and GVP Warren Mart joined more
than 100 IAM members and marched under the eye of heavily armed local police
to demand a first contract for striking respiratory therapists at a
pediatric care facility in
"The presence of riot police with sniper rifles on nearby rooftops gives
you
an idea what kind of management mentality these health care workers are
facing," said Buffenbarger.
The 45 therapists, who provide specialty care for critically sick and
injured children at the Voorhees Pediatric Facility (VPF) are seeking
wages
in line with the national average and sufficient staffing to meet the
hospital's own minimum care requirements.
Meanwhile, state health department officials announced
plans to investigate
the death of a 6-year old patient at the facility. "We don't know how the
child died," said Dan Chmelko, District 1 Directing Business
Representative,
who said workers inside the facility complained of short staffing and a
delay in responding to a distress alarm from the boy's room.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) cited the hospital in May for
intimidation, coercion and failure to bargain collectively. The therapists
have been seeking a first contract since joining the IAM in October of 2000.
For pictures of the march, click on:
http://www.goiam.org/territories.asp?c=3934