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2002 Table of Contents | Public Employee Press Archives | Home
Coney Island Hospital
Local 1549 ends "gauntlet of hazards"
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DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts and Local 1549 President
Eddie Rodriguez led a union team that found dangerous working conditions
at Coney Island Hospital in May. They demanded action and won a plan
to relocate medical records from the hazard-filled basement by October.
The union contingent arrived on May 29 for a labor-management meeting.
Their target was the ancient cellar where clerical workers faced a
gauntlet of obstacles more than 10 times a day to retrieve files.
Reached by descending a flight of stairs, the dimly lit basement has
a ceiling that barely reaches six feet. Pipes covered with asbestos
insulation hang even lower. There are smoke detectors, but DC 37's
Safety and Health Dept. found them faulty. Constant noise from a nearby
transformer makes it hard to hear.
"These working conditions are simply unacceptable," said
Mr. Rodriguez, who convened the meeting with the hospital's management
to address the hazards.
Local 1549 Chapter Chair Ralph Palladino, Shop Steward Huberta Raper,
Field Services Director Barbara Ingram-Edmonds, Division Director
Ronnie Harris, Senior Safety Coordinator Lee Clarke, Safety and Health
Principal Program Coordinator Lisa Baum, and Council Rep Rene Gainer
accompanied Mr. Rodriguez and Ms. Roberts.
"We let Coney Island's management know in no uncertain terms
that this situation had to be remedied immediately," said Eddie
Rodriguez.
"And having Ms. Roberts in the meeting with us and touring the
workplace showed management how serious we were," he said.
Several days later, Coney Island Hospital management announced a plan
to relocate all the medical charts out of the basement. Work began
on schedule in early June.