'This structure means families, school and health care staff work together and support for children is aligned at home, school and in the community.'
--Muddy Brook Regional Elementary School Principal Mary Berle
In his letter to the editor, John Breasted writes: “BHS should fully disclose the magnitude of the extra costs incurred in its four-day lockout, and the terms of its contract with the company that supplied its strike labor.”
When the workers tried to enter the hospital at 7 a.m. today, they were greeted by uniformed security guards and Arthur Milano, BHS’ vice president of human resources, who told them they "won't be returning today but we'll welcome you back on the 8th."
A spokesman for the Massachusetts Nurses Association said its members were pleased at the ruling and that they would be holding a Patient Safety Vigil on Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. before the 24-hour strike is slated proceed on Tuesday at 7 a.m., "unless BMC bargains in good faith and agrees to a fair contract."
The complaint questions the legality of the planned labor stoppage and seeks an injunction and damages to compensate the hospital for the cost of replacement nurses.
The strike will by necessity be considerably longer than one day. While "BMC will bring in experienced, qualified replacement nurses, the temporary nursing agency requires a minimum five-day contract."
--- Berkshire Health Systems response to strike
One BMC nurse said the situation has deteriorated to the point that many Berkshire County pediatricians are sending patients to Bay State Medical in Springfield out of frustration.
In his letter to the editor, John Breasted writes: “BHS management does a disservice to this public interest, and to the market of potential patients to which they so heavily advertise their services, when they blow rhetorical smoke around the contract issues.”
Each year five writers across disciplines will be awarded residencies for the Mastheads program that will include a $900 stipend, housing, daily lunch and exclusive use of one of five studios located throughout Pittsfield.
A native of Pittsfield who now resides in Baltimore, Alec MacGillis covers politics and government for ProPublica, a nonprofit online investigative journalism organization and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner.
