Hospital Employees Get 45 Days on Life Support
Jackson Health System has 45 days to get its finances in order
Forty-five days.
That’s how long Jackson Health System has to get its facilities in financial order. An agreement, made public Friday, details how union officials and Jackson executives will work together on saving the hospital system from financial ruin.
The deal calls for no layoffs in the 45-day period starting March 1. Reports have surfaced that as many as 2,000 employees might be receiving pink slips to help the hospital cut costs.
Jackson employees met Friday's news with the skepticism of a patient being told they have been given a few extra months to live.
“I'm happy for the delay,“ said Jackson nurse Claudia Hyde. “I'm just hoping after the delay we don't get a shock.”
Jackson's CEO Dr. Eneida Roldan and Service Employees International Union President Martha Baker announced the deal at a news conference Friday morning, but made no promises beyond the month and a half reprieve.
The two sides had been at odds recently over Jackson's finances, but presented a united front before employees. Last week, Baker called for a grand jury investigation into Jackson's management practices.
“We look forward and are pleased that management has come together to work as a team to save this great institution,” she said .
In the coming weeks Jackson officials will head to the Washington D.C. to try and secure $50-million dollars in Medicaid funds. The infusion of cash would help prop up the system, which has a budget deficit of more than $200-million dollars for fiscal year 2009.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez has already said there will be no local bail out for the hospital. Who needs Alvarez when President Obama is out there?
“We want as many people in this community working together,” Baker said. “If Obama himself wants to come down and help we'll be happy to have him here. We think there can't be too many eyes helping on this team.”
Posted Friday, Feb 26, 2010 - 6:41 PM EST
