Detroit Free Press:
HEALTH CARE: Group says labor relations worse at 3 hospitals
A nonprofit, interfaith group charged Thursday that labor relations at three Ascension Health hospitals in Detroit, Kalamazoo and Grand Blanc have deteriorated.
Interfaith Worker Justice released a report, “A Fall from Grace: Workers’ Rights Abuses at Ascension Health’s Michigan Operations” on its findings on its Web site, www.iwj.org, and held a news media briefing in Detroit to discuss it.
Kim Bobo, the group’s executive director, said Ascension is trying to eliminate issues other than wages and benefits from its contracts, including provisions requiring certain nurse-to-patient ratios set to ensure good care. The three hospitals are St. John Hospital & Medical Center, Detroit; Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, and Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo.
In a statement, St. John Providence Health System, part of Ascension, said it “values all associates for their contributions to our healing ministry. We work continually in partnership with our associates on creating an optimal work environment. St. John Providence Health System believes that it is important to have a direct relationship with our associates, without inserting an outside third party.”
ABC 12 WJRT:
Crain’s Detroit Business:
Report critical of St. John Providence Health System labor practices
Interfaith Workers Justice, a national religious organization based in Chicago, issued a report that alleges Ascension Health and its Warren-based subsidiary, St. John Providence Health System, have engaged in a variety of anti-union activities at three Michigan hospitals.
In its 34-page report, “Ascension Health: A Fall from Grace,” Interfaith lists problems workers are experiencing and a pattern of anti-union behavior among management at three of Ascension’s Michigan hospitals, including 553-bed St. John Macomb-Oakland Hospital in Madison Heights.
“Ascension Health’s approach to workers is in free fall,” said Sister Monica McGloin, chair of the delegation from Interfaith Worker Justice that issued the report. “But grace provides an opportunity to make a change. Ascension needs to change its approach to workers.”
