{"id":9300,"date":"2024-02-07T15:04:54","date_gmt":"2024-02-07T20:04:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pef.org\/?p=9300"},"modified":"2024-02-08T16:10:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-08T21:10:17","slug":"pef-uup-and-other-unions-call-out-suny-downstate-closure-plans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pef.org\/articles\/news\/pef-uup-and-other-unions-call-out-suny-downstate-closure-plans\/","title":{"rendered":"PEF, UUP and other unions call out SUNY Downstate closure plans"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"PEF,
A crowd of UUP, PEF, SEIU and other union members line the Million Dollar Staircase in protest of the plan to close SUNY Downstate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Albany, Feb. 6, 2024<\/em> — PEF President Wayne Spence joined hundreds of UUP and PEF members, along with leaders from AFT, the New York State AFL-CIO, NYSUT and several legislators at the New York State Capitol on Feb. 6 to call on the state to stop the closure of SUNY Downstate Hospital. The rally is in response to a \u201cTransformation Plan\u201d for the hospital that was made public as part of the budget negotiation process.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"PEF,
PEF President Wayne Spence takes the podium at the rally.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The decision came as a surprise, even for many members of the State Legislature.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the height of the pandemic, SUNY Downstate was designated a \u201cCOVID-only\u201d hospital and cared for thousands of patients in 2020 and 2021. Members expressed their disappointment with the decision after they were so loudly hailed as heroes during the pandemic.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur community walked past refrigerator trucks full of dead people during COVID. SUNY Downstate was the only COVID hospital and our nurses and doctors got sick,\u201d said New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie. \u201cHow dare the state have the temerity to close SUNY Downstate!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

President Spence said that this isn\u2019t the first time unions have had to have this fight. In 2012, then-Governor Cuomo initiated a similar plan to close the hospital citing similar budget concerns. PEF and other unions, alongside many legislators, fought back against the closure of the hospital and won. Now, President Spence says, history is repeating itself.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStaff at SUNY Downstate worked hard after being designated a COVID-only hospital. But that may not have been possible if we didn\u2019t fight to keep it open in 2012,\u201d Spence said in his remarks. \u201cHow many people would\u2019ve died without SUNY Downstate? Thank God, we got it right. So why are we here again to fight for this hospital and this community? Shame!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

SUNY Downstate is the only state-run hospital in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn. It is also a public teaching hospital that treats all patients, especially those who are on Medicaid, are underinsured or uninsured. The hospital trains the highest number of Black and minority healthcare professionals in the country. Additionally, SUNY Downstate provides specialized care that other area hospitals do not \u2014 such as Brooklyn\u2019s only kidney transplant program.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

President Spence said that he\u2019s received assurances no PEF members will lose their jobs if the plan is carried out, but UUP members could see their staffing cut by as much as 20 percent. In addition to potential job losses, a transitioning of services to other area hospitals would put many patients at risk of having their treatment disrupted or terminated.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spence joined his fellow union leaders and lawmakers and demanded a \u201cvoice at the table\u201d before any final plan is created. Neither the unions that represent staff at the hospital nor members of the community were consulted about the \u201ctransition plan,\u201d and there still is nothing in writing outlining exactly what will be done and when.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Spence pledged PEF\u2019s support as the campaign continues to save the healthcare heart of Brooklyn.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have stood together to save SUNY Downstate before,\u201d he said. \u201cWe will do it again!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n