Standing strong for affordable healthcare

Providence’s cuts hurt our families, hurt our patients, and hurt our community.  When Providence cut employee healthcare on January 1, it took healthcare funds away from front-line care and out of the South Sound, diverting the money instead to Providence’s headquarters to pad the bottom line.

Going on strike is the last thing we want to do, but we need to send a strong message to Providence—a 5-state healthcare giant—that our community won’t take its cuts.  We cannot allow the second largest employer in Olympia- a healthcare employer receiving public funds- to roll back access for its own employees and lower the standard for affordability.

Sign the petition or if you’re from the South Sound send a letter to the editor now to show your support.

Providence unilaterally cut employee healthcare on January 1.

Providence is profitable and didn’t need to slash employee healthcare.  In effect, it is taking money out of the pockets of South Sound families to pad its bottom line.  This undermines our community’s standards for healthcare benefits and makes healthcare workers- who risk our health every day to care for our community- unable to afford care in the very facilities where we work.

We’re striking to tell Providence: don’t cut care.

We don’t want to strike but we need to stand up for our patients and send a strong message to Providence to stop the cuts.  St. Pete’s is an important part of our community that we all rely on.  We hope Providence will do the right thing so that we can return to work.

If we don’t reach agreements, the 530 service workers including dietary, housekeeping, registration, health unit coordinators, sterile processors and more at St. Pete’s Hospital will be striking for 5 days starting March 11.  If Providence still won’t make a commitment to affordable care, the 150 RNs, social workers, licensed practical nurses, and support staff at SoundHomeCare and Hospice will join the strike for 3 days starting March 13.

Our community is united to hold Providence accountable.

People United for South Sound Healthcare (PUSSH), a broad coalition of community leaders, elected officials, and faith leaders, is supporting our campaign against Providence’s cuts.  To show your support, you can:

• Stop by and join the picket line.  Stay for a few minutes or a few hours!
• Bring food to strikers.  We welcome any donations.
• Sign the online petition at www.DontCutCare.com or if you’re from the South Sound write a letter to the editor.
• Write a letter to the editor of the Olympian or your local paper supporting our campaign.
• Postpone any elective procedures at St. Pete’s and seek care elsewhere during our strike.
• Share this information with your friends and neighbors.