On Thursday, members of Act-Up Philly, Geo-Clan, Public School Notebook, Workers United, The Taxi Workers Alliance, Philadelphia Student Union, Media Mobilizing Project and many others, joined the striking nurses on the picket line at Temple Hospital. The event came eight days after the nurses went on strike on March 31. Community members are supporting the striking nurses because of the recent behavior of Temple University Health System, which includes:

* shutting down an important community hospital in Northeast Philadelphia,

* abrogating workers’ first amendment rights by attempting to impose a gag order on nurses speaking up about patient care,

* bargaining in bad faith with the union,

* spending more money to bring in temporary workers from around the country than it would have cost them to settle a fair contract with the workers who are now on strike.

– To see images of the event go here

– Listen to Kistine Caroline’s from Labor Justice Radio’s recent report «Temple Risks Patients’ Lives for Profit»:

At the event leaders from different groups spoke about their support for the nurses. Ronald Blount, President of the Taxi Workers’ Alliance explained that: «Cab drivers stand with the nurses, because the struggle for a fair contract is connected to cab drivers struggle for the right to form a union and have democracy in the workplace«. Justin, a student leader from Philadelphia Student Union argued that: «Like students, who have a right to be involved in discussions around what happens in their schools, nurses have every right to speak out about what is happening in Temple Hospital«. Finally, Desi Burnette from Media Mobilizing Project made the point that: «We must demand responsibility and accountability of our local institutions like Temple Hospital«, and «as long as nurses are struggling the community will be right by their side«.

– Fuente: PhillyIMC philadelphia independent media center

– Originally posted at Media Mobilizing Project

(13 de abril de 2010]