Day 9 – DONATE

Loretto workers need your help! Donate if you can. http://bit.ly/LorettoStrike

Day 8

Monday 8/7 8:07 PM

Loretto workers were on the strike line again this morning at 5:30 AM. Thanks to intervention from Mayor Brandon Johnson this weekend, we’re getting closer to a deal. We’re close, but yet so far away.

Right now, Loretto is offering Environmental Service staff with 5+ years’ experience only about 10 cents above the starting rate of pay.  Not only is this insulting to workers who have worked through COVID and loyalty served the patients of Loretto, it also doesn’t give experienced workers incentive to stay.

Today, lawmakers from the General Assembly sent a letter to Loretto’s CEO. In part, the letter read (bolded and italicized for emphasis):

In May 2023, the General Assembly passed a balanced budget that allocated $10 million for Loretto Hospital to use for workforce development and to address low wages and staff turnover.  Our intention was that the funding be used for that purpose and only that purpose.

Loretto has the money. They need to put it into experienced workers and end the strike NOW.

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Day 6

On Saturday local leaders joined workers at a press conference about the importance of a Treatment Not Trauma approach to public safety and how safe staffing is vital to supporting our communities. As Lollapalooza kicked off during an already hot summer, Chicago is bracing for an increase in incidents that bring an influx of patients to the city’s emergency rooms such as violence or overdoses. 

Treatment Not Trauma advocates spoke out about the crucial role the striking workers play in keeping community members safe through their crisis work – and how important it is for Loretto to take immediate action to settle a fair contract to ensure safe staffing to serve patients in need.

You can see the livestream here.

Day 5

On Friday, Loretto workers joined the SAG-AFTRA strike line in solidarity for their fight for a fair contract. Loretto Hospital worker Michaela Jilliam spoke alongside actor Sean Astin and other union members to call for respect, safety, and fair pay across industries. 

Day 4 Loretto #StrikeForStaffing Update

08/2/23 6:30 PM

The Rally!

The rally today was off the chain! Loretto workers felt the love and appreciate that their union siblings, faith leaders, community allies, and elected officials have their back.

Take a look at this recap video. Help us celebrate the joy of workers coming together by sharing it on social. Share on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter.

See photos here.

See press release here.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow morning, Loretto workers will be joining the SAG-AFTRA rally at Daley Plaza. One will be a featured speaker. You can watch it on our Facebook page.

We’ll also have workers on the line at Loretto.

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WBEZ/Sun-Times’ damning story

After we brought stories of patient deaths and worker injuries to light yesterday, WBEZ’s Kristen Schorsch combed through federal reports from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which funds hospitals and investigates patient safety issues.  She found:

Records show federal inspectors have long had concerns about Loretto not having enough staff and the ripple effect on patients. In recent years there was a suicidal patient left alone who attempted suicide in the bathroom in the ER waiting room. A pregnant patient died after the hospital failed to make sure an immediate ultrasound was done “in a timely manner.” There haven’t been enough nurses to monitor patients recovering from surgery those in the emergency department.

Read the whole story here: https://www.wbez.org/stories/loretto-hospital-inspection-report-details-patient-death/28416ab4-e70d-455e-85b9-2096eac99fda

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Day 3 Update

Updated Wed 8/2 @5:30 PM.

Another day without a contract offer from Loretto. Today, we highlighted the terrible reality that low staffing literally kills. We unveiled details of safety citations against Loretto from the State of Illinois, including a preventable death of a pregnant woman. In all, Loretto has been assessed 90 citations in the last 10 years, including 3 deaths. Watch the video recap here.

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Turnout Needed for Thursday at Noon

We’re planning a big rally on Thursday at noon & we need everyone there.

THANK YOU

Thanks to all who shared our Low Wages = Low Staffing video on Twitter today. It was retweeted over 130 times and has been seen by over 18,000 people.