Service Workers Update May 12, 2020

Request For Incentive or Hazard Pay

The Prospect Way continues regarding how it treats the hard working employees at Fatima. It makes sense to define the Prospect Way, cheap and unfair. They refuse to give incentive pay or hazard pay to all of the loyal employees who work at Fatima. We have asked nicely and were told NO. We are now circulating a petition and will present it to our CEO, what’s his name? Oh yes, Jeffrey Leibman. Stay tuned.

Training

It was brought to the union’s attention that the training related to PPE was inadequate and or non-existent for many employees at Fatima. The employer started to retrain a couple of weeks back. They have over 700 employees to train so it will take some time. If you haven’t been trained or retrained please contact one of the UNAP officers Cindy Fenchel, Mike Pellicano, Jean Tanner, Dawn Leonardo, Mike Lewis or Doreena Duphily.

Outreach Training For COVID- 19 Testing and PPE Issues The employer responded to our requests below in BOLD.

1. PPE – masks, shield, gowns, gloves, receptacles to dispose or bags for gowns to wash separate from clean areas, cleaning solution and hand sanitizer. PPE is provided and it is all disposable.
2. Are the waiting areas set up for social distancing? Yes
3. Are and or will phlebs be trained to do the test and when will they be trained? Phlebs are being trained as needed
4. Batteries for Purell receptacles. We supply individual hand pump sanitizers.
5. Lysol spray and wipes. Micro-Kill is provided for all.

Washing Gowns

The employer decided to wash gowns in the basement of Fatima and actually started the process without having any safety measures in place besides PPE for the staff. The union listed some measures we thought ought to be in place. The employer agreed to some of the items listed below in BOLD.

1. A barrier preferably ceiling to floor between the clean and dirty laundry room. Should be at least 7-8 feet high.
2. Covering for the clean laundry that is water proof.
3. Cleaning supplies to clean the washer after dirty/ contaminated laundry is loaded.
4. PPE supplies for staff.
5. Preferable to have a separate person to load dirty laundry from the person handling clean supplies
6. Additional staff to assist in this process. Billy Chase is fully trained
7. Training for the staff regarding PPE, cleaning washer and clean versus dirty areas.
8. Supply hospital scrubs to staff who have this new task of laundry.
9. Have the infection control nurse inspect the area.
10. Assure that the washing machine is fixed to properly clean contaminated gowns. My understanding is the machine only does a quick wash currently and the hospital is trying to get repairs done to allow for the full wash.

UNAP officers Cindy Fenchel, Mike Pellicano, Jean Tanner, Dawn Leonardo, Mike Lewis or Doreena Duphily