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NEWS & LETTERS, June-July 2006Virginia rally for fired activist nurseWomen’s rights, civil rights, labor and community groups across Virginia joined together in a rally and press conference Mothers’ Day weekend in front of Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Va. denouncing discrimination against women workers. Hospital management recently retaliated against Debra Moore, an outspoken registered nurse and mother of three, by discharging her to punish her for using her rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act and to stop her from speaking out about a crisis that has left the hospital 73 registered nurses short of recommended staffing levels, calling it "dangerous for both patients and workers." Moore is president of the hospital’s chapter of the Virginia Public Service Workers’ Union. "I worked 48 to 56 hours a week and had 400 unused hours of sick leave and still they terminated me," she said. Another employee insisted, "It is clear they targeted her, and we need people to speak up now." Moore said, "There are eight other people that have been terminated unfairly since me." She insisted that "we nurses have to stop fighting against each other, not be afraid, and use the union to change the culture at Eastern State Hospital." To join in support of these women workers, contact: www.vaue160.org. --Chris Townsend, United Electrical Workers |
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