Surgery Department Protests Layoff with Petition November 2, 2011

On November 2, twenty Local 34 and 35 members in the Medical School delivered a petition to the Department of Surgery to protest the layoff of Jerry Irizarry, who has worked as a mail assistant in that department for 18 years.  The petition was signed by over 90% of C&Ts in the Department.  Committee member Sheila O’Toole explained the high level of concern among her co-workers to Department Chair Robert Udelsman and Business Manager Susan Riggs.

Local 35 Executive Board member Craig Green described how the lay off would affect the work in his area, handling mail for the Medical School.  Local 34 Vice President Tony Lopes stressed a particular concern that management had referenced the new Epic billing system as a factor in Jerry’s lay off, and that the introduction of Epic next year could involve further restructuring of work for other Local 34 members.  We will continue the fight to get Jerry reinstated with any needed training to handle changes in his work