NURSES DESERVE CONTRACT
OROS AND SWANSON CALL FOR FUNDING FREEZE AT MED CENTER UNTIL AGREEMENT REACHED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 7, 2007

Contact: George Oros
Tel: (914) 995-2828
Goo6@westchestergov.com

Legislator George Oros (R-C/Cortlandt) and Legislator Suzanne Swanson (C-R/Mount Pleasant) while joining scores of Westchester County Medical Center Nurses at a contract rally outside the County Courthouse today announced they are introducing a resolution to prevent the County from providing any further financial support to the Medical Center until the nurse dispute is resolved.

Legislators Sue Swanson and George Oros talk with Kevin Smith at nurses rally outside county building in White Plains.

“Nurses are the backbone of the operations, care and spirit of the Westchester County Medical Center,” said Oros. “This shabby treatment by the Board of the Health Care Corporation and management must stop.”

Oros noted the “critical shortage of nurses in the region” and stated that this type of disregard sends a message to any applicants “go take your skill and profession somewhere else”. He called the hard line stance on negations “short sighted” because it will hamper recruitment and retention.

“These hard working individuals who have such stringent professional requirements, long, hard working hours and ever changing techniques and technology need to be treated with respect and fairness”, said Swanson.

Their proposal would have the Board of Legislators cease all funding to the Westchester County Health Care Corporation and halt any appointments to the Board of Directors there until the negotiations are concluded.

Oros claimed that the lack of good faith negotiations and the threat of impasse ”demonstrates not only a lack of good management and disregard for the nurses but distain for the taxpayers and the Board of Legislators that has approved funding to keep the WCHCC solvent”.

Click here to view draft of resolution.