On a rainy day, hundreds of SEIU 1021 members from across Alameda Health System (AHS) rallied outside Wilma Chan Highland Hospital to fight back against layoffs. The same day, February 11, AHS management posted a 59-page document detailing the layoffs they intend to make across the county’s safety-net healthcare system. The cuts include:

• Closing Outpatient Behavioral Health Wellness at Highland (dozens of patients)
• Closing Outpatient Behavior Health at Fairmont (approximately 100 patients)
• Closing Health Advocates Program at Highland (more than 3,000 patients)
• Closing Fairmont Hospital’s cafeteria for visitors and employees (1,000 transactions a month)
• Reducing dozens of other programs, including Patient Financial Services that supports billing and collection of hospital revenue

The layoffs were first announced in December, with the first notices to employees to be laid off scheduled to come out on Christmas Eve. The stated reason for the layoffs was projected financial shortfalls to come as a result of Congressional funding reductions in HR 1, the Big Ugly Bill. Currently, AHS is still in budget. Many AHS workers have been placed on paid leave and instructed not to work while the layoff process continues, meaning AHS is paying workers not to provide medical care as a response to funding cuts that have not yet been made.

Maria Betancourt is a specialist clerk at John George Psychiatric Hospital, and serves as the SEIU 1021 Alameda Health System chapter president. She herself received a layoff notice and is currently on paid leave. She said, “The way AHS management is cutting holes in our community’s safety net is heartbreaking. Their attempt to address a future budget problem by paying people not to work now makes as little sense as cutting programs that keep people off the streets and out of the emergency room, out of John George, and out of Santa Rita Jail. We need management to come to the table and work productively with us to stop these brutal cuts and save jobs.”

SEIU 1021 President Theresa Rutherford said at the rally, “I’m a healthcare worker myself. I’ve been doing that for over twenty years. You’re my people. We’re here today to make sure that management understands that layoffs hurt the community. You’re removing services, you’re removing important support for mental health, for those who are homeless. You’re not just hurting us as workers, you’re hurting the families and the communities we fight for every day. So let’s fight for the community, because when we fight, we win!”

The next step in the fight will be a hearing on February 25 at 3 p.m., legally required whenever a county is proposing eliminating or reducing medical services. One question that will surely be asked at that hearing is why these cuts were allowed before any public hearing was held.

RSVP for the hearing here.

The fight has earned massive community support, with figures like Alameda Labor Council Executive Secretary-Treasurer Keith Brown and Alameda County Supervisors Nikki Fortunato Bas and Elisa Marquez in attendance and speaking.

Supervisor Bas spoke about the importance of the work SEIU 1021 members do at AHS and called for those workers to come to the upcoming Beilenson hearing.

She said, “We need to make sure that you all, who make this hospital system run, who provide care to our patients, and support to our families, that you are treated with dignity. I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for the care that you provide. I come from a health care family too, so I know the sacrifices that you make. I know that every single day you worry about your patients, and your clients, and you also have to feed your own families and keep a roof over your head. We have to make sure that you are treated with the care and dignity that you provide your patients. And so I pledge to you to be a partner throughout this process.” 

Supervisor Marquez said, “I’m here to tell you what you do matters. You are the backbone of this county. You provide the direct care. You are on the front line. So any decision that impacts your ability to provide for your family needs to be an open, fair, and inclusive process. It is our core responsibility on the board of supervisors to protect the safety net.” 

Others sent representatives to support us in our fight, including California State Senator Jesse Arreguín, California Assembly member Mia Bonta, California Assembly member Liz Ortega, and California State Senator Aisha Wahab.