We Support Quality Health Care at Washington Hospital Center

We, DC’s faith and community leaders, believe that the health and welfare of Washingtonians rests upon a
well-staffed hospital and we fully support Nurses United’s demand for a fair contract that gives nurses the
respect they deserve.

We are concerned about the culture of disrespect towards nurses exhibited by Washington Hospital Center
(WHC) management. This disrespect is evident in the firing of 18 nurses during the February snowstorms
and the disciplining of many others. These are nurses who are dedicated to the hospital and their patients;
who made every effort to get to work, but were fired and disciplined for not being able to travel during a
snow storm that paralyzed the region for a over a week.

Furthermore, we are deeply troubled by the failure of WHC management to come to a contract agreement
with Nurses United. Washington Hospital Center currently has close to 200 unfilled nursing positions and a
yearly turnover rate of close to 20 percent. The “take backs” proposed by WHC management include
significant cuts in pay and loss of control over their health benefits, paid time off process, and pension. These
measures will further exacerbate short staffing problems, which will in turn have a negative effect on safety
and quality of care at the hospital. We believe that a fair contract that gives nurses the respect they deserve is
the only way to ensure adequate staffing, safety, and quality at a hospital that is vital to the health and
welfare of our community.

We therefore call on WHC management to do the right thing by:

 Settling the unfair labor practice charges from the February storms by bringing back and making
whole the fired nurses;
 Eliminating disciplines and ensuring that unilateral policy changes do not occur again;
 Halting the demand for “take backs” and recognizing that nurses are receiving the pay and benefits
they deserve. Nurses are not asking for more, just to maintain what they have. Management must
recognize that a fair contract is the only way to ensure a well-staffed hospital.

I pledge to support Nurses United in their campaign for a fair contract and respect on the job.

___ I will sign on to a letter to WHC management.

___ I will publicly support the WHC nurses by signing on to op-eds and advertisements, speaking at key
events, or inviting WHC nurses to attend key organization events.

___ I will participate in a delegation to WHC management.

___ I will take up a collection for a strike fund.

___ I will encourage people to attend Nurses United events, rallies, and pickets.

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