Rally planned to save health care services in Brooklyn

PEF members will join other union members from the Civil Service Employees Association and the United University Professions at a rally to protest the closing of the Kingsboro Psychiatric Center in Brooklyn, and to close beds at SUNY Downstate University Hospital and shift inpatient operations to Long Island College Hospital campus. The rally will take place Wednesday, February 8 at 11:30 a.m. at 280 Park Avenue, between 48^th and 49^th Streets, in Manhattan. The location is in front of the building where investment banker Stephen Berger has an office. Berger is responsible for making the recommendations to close and limit health care services for a low-income population in Brooklyn.

Fight continues to save health care services in Brooklyn

After nearly 300 PEF members rallied January 11 to keep health care services in Brooklyn, PEF leaders and members will visit with state legislators Tuesday, January 24 to keep the pressure on. PEF is objecting to the closure of the Kingsboro Psychiatric Center and closing beds at SUNY Downstate University Hospital, plus shifting its inpatient operations to the Long Island College Hospital campus.

The plan to reduce needed health care services in Brooklyn originate from an investment banker, Stephen Berger, who was the master mind of the plan to shut down several New York hospitals in 2006.

PEF leaders say they will continue to fight to keep Kingsboro PC and SUNY Downstate open with legislative pressure and public awareness campaigns.

Members rally to save health care services in Brooklyn

PEF leaders and members are planning to rally Wednesday, January 11 from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. in front of the Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, 333 Adams Street in Brooklyn, to save the Kingsboro Psychiatric Center and SUNY Downstate. PEF will be joined by members of the Civil Service Employees Association and the United University Professions at the rally. Inside the hotel, Stephen Berger, former head of the Berger Commission, will be holding a conference to promote his plan to close Brooklyn hospitals, which would disrupt treatment and care for thousands of patients, in addition to hundreds of health care professionals who would lose their jobs. Bus transportation will be provided to members who work at Kingsboro and SUNY Downstate.

For more information, call Dawn at the PEF Region 11 office at 1-718-637-2019 or the PEF Mobilization Department at 1-800-342-4306 ext. 227.