Thursday, April 2, 2020

Corona Virus Update 4/2

We are 27 days since our first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Connecticut
3,824 positive cases, up 267 since yesterday
112 deaths, up 27
827 hospitalized, 61
18,399 tested, up 1700

 Backus has not agreed to an extension of the Contract that runs out in May
Backus has refused to negotiate an MOU (agreement) on transfers to other hospitals and other issues. Backus nurses are agreeable to much but not all of the MOU. The Hospital has unilaterally imposed the MOU, in 
violation of the contract and labor law. 

The Hartford Healthcare East Region President had a town hall call tonight. She asked for questions ahead of time to be emailed to her. Jessica, the VP of the local, used the Hustle test app to get many of the members to email tough questions. I didn’t get to listen but I’m told her answers weren’t exactly clarifying. 

The reason I didn’t get to listen was that I was doing an interview with Jenn Bernstein for Fox 61 that will air Sunday morning at 10:00 on The Real Story.
We talked about both the shortage and the rationing of PPE and the difficulty we have had getting straight answers on inventory and supply chain. We talked about the Hospital CEO task force advising the Governor and about what the Governor could do to help. 

There is a Johnson Memorial manager who is trying to tell nurses that they don't have any N95s and then wants to discipline them for trying to refuse going in room of covid-19 patient without proper PPE. Local Leader brought this to administration and were told this is not true and the manager will be dealt with.

We have a member in Windham who was told 2 days ago that they couldn’t use an N95 even though they were working with Covid patients. They informed their Local leaders. That tech is now Covid positive. 

Just in - AFT nat'l is holding another COVID-19 tele-town hall on Mon:
See your Local Leaders for info.
AFT Telephone Town Hall
Join AFT President Randi Weingarten for an AFT local leaders on Wednesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. EST. Register your phone number here, and we’ll automatically give you a call.

Hospitals Must Consider Accommodation Requests in Pandemic
April 2, 2020, 12:33 PM
Doctors and nurses on the front lines of the novel coronavirus with health conditions of their own can request “reasonable accommodations” under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and employers must consider them despite the pandemic, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.






Message from William Tong, Attorney General of Connecticut,  for your members


Please be safe everyone. You’re doing great work and I imagine it feels like you’re all alone. There are many people who are reaching out and asking what they can do to help.
I tell them stay safe, stay home, and keep telling our stories to everyone they know.
Be well my friends.


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