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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (July 22, 2021)
news Unessential Workers MCKENZIE-WILLAMETTE MEDICAL CENTER PLANS TO OUTSOURCE ESSENTIAL WORKERS By Anna Mattson M ichael Smith, a 32-year-old linen tech at McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, generally starts his day by bringing clean linen in and loading it into carts every morning. Smith pushes those carts around the hospital and fills every closet. He makes sure all employees have uniforms for the day and all patients have clean linens. Smith says he loves his job, but fears that he will lose the benefits that make working there possible. He has worked in the linen tech industry for 11 years, three of which he’s worked for McKenzie-Willamette. He says his mother worked in hospitals, and when he dropped out of college, he picked up a job as a linen tech. “I love the health care environment. Everyone's so nice,” he says. Smith says he also gets both health care and dental insurance, the benefits lifting a financial burden off of his shoulders. But those benefits hinge on McKenzie-Willamette’s decision to outsource workers for jobs like Smith’s. According to Smith and SEIU Local 49’s union, management announced that the hospital would be outsourcing essential workers from dietary and environ- mental services, which includes linen techs. Outsourcing workers could result in loss of payment, loss of bene- fits or loss of work for already established employees. Smith says he didn’t know about the outsourcing until it was announced at the work meeting, which could be a violation of the contract between SEIU and McKen- zie-Willamette. Outsourcing is a practice among companies to hire slant • Here's a rumor we like: Dawn Lesley is considering a run against Jay Bozievich in 2022 for Lane County Commissioner. She came within about 70 votes of defeating him in 2014, and this time she should win it. A commissioner since 2010, Bozievich is rumored to be interested in running for governor. Seems unlikely he’ll win that race, either. • Wildest new take on the Oregon governor's race comes from Willamette Week in Portland. Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who grew up on a farm in Yamhill county, says, “I have friends trying to convince me that here in Oregon we need new leadership from outside the broken political system.” Wait. Is this all about ego? Or sexism? Or misguided self-importance? Does Oregon have a broken political system? Is someone without experience in governing better suited than the many candidates steeped in policy experience looking at this race? It certainly is a new perspective on Kristof, who doesn't deny that he is interested. • What we will read next: Evelyn Hess’s new book, Shoulder to Shoulder: Working E U G E N E W E E K LY . C O M from outside the company, often because of labor shortage or costs. The main reason for a company to outsource is usually the cost of operations, but according to McKenzie- Willamette Medical Center’s hospital spokesperson and marketing director Jana Waterman, the goal of outsourc- ing in this case is to improve the patient experience. Because of the proposal to outsource, SEIU plans to help workers negotiate and bargain with McKenzie-Willa- mette to compromise. Tara Noftsier, SEIU’s communica- tion director, says that the union works to “amplify the voice of the workers” and informs workers about laws that are set to protect them. “The workers are under contract right now,” Noftsier says. “And part of that contract is that McKenzie-Willa- mette cannot just outsource without bargaining.” Because McKenzie-Willamette did not warn work- ers about the decision or offer to bargain, Noftsier says that the hospital violated its contract. She says that they can pursue laws around unfair labor practices legally if necessary. Waterman says that hospital representatives are currently engaged in negotiations with SEIU regarding outsourcing, in accordance with the contract. McKenzie- Willamette did not answer additional questions from Eugene Weekly “out of respect for the union bargain- ing process.” Noftsier says that the hospital refuses to provide the information the union has requested, specifically the financial details of their contract with HHS, formerly known as Hospital Housekeeping System, an outsourc- ing company based in Texas. HSS offers nonunion job listings on its website, with locations listed all over the Together for a Sustainable Future. This fine Eugene author has gathered together a series of vivid stories. As Richard Heinberg writes, “If there is hope to be found in these troubled times, it is in the life lessons of people like these.” • A new Blue Lives Matter billboard is up on Highway 126 near the Mohawk Boulevard exit in Springfield. The billboard features slick social media personality Rick Dancer, Crisdental owner Dr. Michael Bratland and the widow of Eugene police officer Chris Kilcullen. The billboard is up months after two reports were published. One said the city’s police mishandled a stop that resulted in the 2019 killing of Stacy Kenny, and the other found SPD made several errors in dealing with a Black Lives Matter- related protest in Thurston. And the city is currently in the midst of a lawsuit from the Thurston protest. We could write more on this, but “Get Real, Dick” by Joey Helpish (look it up on YouTube) does a pretty good job covering our thoughts. country. Without the financial details of the contract, Noftsier says it’s difficult to present detailed alterna- tives to outsourcing. Current workers, Noftsier says, have wages, health care and benefits. However, HSS “may or may not hire the current employees, and that they would no longer be a union shop and most likely subjected to lower wages, less benefits, etc.” Smith says it feels like all of the hard work and extra steps he spent keeping people safe during the pandemic is unappreciated. Smith was the only worker left in his department when everyone else was furloughed after noncritical surgeries were shut down during the height of the pandemic. At one point, he says he worked alone for more than 30 days in a row. He felt constantly exhausted and overworked. “It was a negative work environment,” he says. “I tried to bring up these issues, and I was mostly just ignored.” Smith’s girlfriend is in the high-risk category for COVID- 19, and he worried that he might bring the virus home with him. Smith says McKenzie-Willamette would not pay medical staff to stay home if infected with COVID-19 to quarantine, adding another layer of stress to his situation. When the news hit about outsourcing from his depart- ment, Smith says that he feared losing his medical and dental benefits. If he were to lose his benefits, he says he might quit. But he hasn’t heard anything from what might happen to workers for him to make that decision. “I felt like it was a bit of a slap in the face,” he says. “I always felt a lot of pride coming here through the pandemic, and they say we're all health care heroes. After that, I felt like a health care zero.” ■ • Crowds are starting to mingle again in Eugene, a pleasant sight for everyone’s sore eyes. We don’t yet know the full economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but as restrictions are now lifted, this past weekend had a good look. Stores and restaurants downtown had customers, Eugene Saturday Market and Lane County Farmers Market were busy, bicyclists were everywhere and everyone seemed relaxed. We hope the good vibes continue throughout the hot summer ahead. • CAHOOTS is still making waves in national outlets. The model for an alternative approach to policing was profiled in the July 15 issue of People magazine, in which we were delighted to see featured photos by EW’s very own art director Todd Cooper. • This week’s cover story was developed in a collaboration with the Catalyst Journalism Project at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. We are grateful to work with Catalyst and its talented student journalists in publishing stories that shed light on critical issues in our community and hold those in power accountable. J U LY 2 2 , 2 0 2 1 5
