Scranton, PA - U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement on West Penn Hospital registered nurses voting to be represented by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, joining a union of 4,000 Allegheny Health Network nurses, technical, clerical and service workers:
“The decision made by West Penn Hospital nurses to join SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania is good news for workers and patients,” said Senator Casey. “Our heroes on the front lines of this pandemic are going to work every day in conditions unlike we have ever experienced, risking their own health to care for others. They are the eyes, ears and voices of patients. By joining SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, these workers are helping to ensure the needs of patients are met and workers are supported. These heroes deserve more than our praise. I will continue to fight to ensure that health care workers receive premium pay, as well as the protective equipment and other resources they need to fight this pandemic, but we must not stop there. I will continue to press for action on legislation I support that would strengthen workers’ ability to organize. This basic right is even more important as we experience the greatest public health crisis in over a century and worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.”
