Hospital Staff Protest Cuts at UCSF

by Molly Samuel

University of California-San Francisco employees are protesting the university’s decision to cut the equivalent of 300 hospital jobs. About a hundred people marched today in front of the hospital at UCSF’s Parnassus campus.
The protest was led by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME. Radiologists, operating room assistants, pharmacy technicians and other hospital staff are members of the union.

Union local president Kathryn Lybarger says the cuts affect patient care.

“When for example, your neighbor who comes here needs to get up from his hospital bed to go to the bathroom,” Lybarger said, “there are not enough nursing assistants to take them there.”

Protesters stopped traffic in front of the hospital for about half an hour. Police arrested 10 people who refused to leave the street.

UCSF says rising pension costs and budget impacts from the Affordable Care Act are forcing administrators to hold vacancies open and lay off about 75 people.

[Source]: KQED