Stop the Essentia Layoffs!

Join us in fighting back against the layoffs at Essentia Health by signing this call to action!

Among the devastation wrought by the Covid-19 crisis – the tens of thousands of lost lives and millions of lost livelihoods – lay a glimmer of hope. Ordinary people stepped up every day to do what’s right, putting the needs of their communities ahead of their own.

This is especially true of the brave front-line workers who risked their own lives to ensure we all have the necessary goods and services to continue to live comfortably. No one exemplifies this spirit of shared responsibility, communal sacrifice, and civic mindedness more than members of USW Local 9460, health care workers at Essentia Health.

Hundreds of them unfailingly did their jobs, providing exemplary care in dangerous, uncertain conditions. Hundreds more accepted temporary layoffs in March so the hospital system could adjust to the new reality of our post-Covid world.

Now, 900 more are being rewarded for their sacrifices with permanent layoffs.

That’s a slap in the face to Essentia’s dedicated workforce and a disservice to the community that relies on it for top-quality care.

Essentia would like to portray itself as a down-and-out business with its hands tied, but claims of financial hardship just don’t hold water.

Essentia generated a whopping $2.1 billion in revenue last year[KJ1] . And while we’ve all had to tighten our belts over the past few months, Essentia received more than $78 million in federal aid as of May 15, according to CDC data.

That is tax money that was provided to maintain Essentia’s full range of services and the workers who keep the system running. It would be insulting patients, workers and benefactors to let those funds go anywhere but back into the community.

USW members already made deep sacrifices as Essentia canceled elective procedures and scaled back the services they offered. They understood that extraordinary times require a shared burden.

Now, by making permanent cuts, Essentia is openly putting short-term financial concerns over the livelihoods of the workers who kept the system running during this crisis.

And make no mistake, no matter what temporary conditions led the company to its conclusion, permanently slashing 900 essential health care jobs will have lasting consequences on our communities.

The pandemic taught us that there’s no way to know what the future will bring. There could be a surge in new Covid-19 cases that will require all hands on deck. Or the virus may plateau or decline, which will mean resuming more normal operations.

One thing remains certain, however. Whether it’s treatment for Covid-19 or routine care, communities across northern Wisconsin and beyond will continue to need the services provided by dedicated health care professionals.

Someone will still need to check patients’ vital signs, prepare their meals and schedule their procedures. Our emergency rooms and ICUs require staff, and with or without Covid-19, rooms must be sterilized and spotless.

USW members stand at the ready.

From the front desk workers who greet patients as they enter the door, to the workers who supply medications, to the nurses and aides who provide direct care, members of Local 9460 are the lifeblood of Essentia Health.

They care deeply about our communities not only because they’ve chosen a caring profession but because they are our friends and neighbors.

During a global health crisis, we need their experience and passion more than ever.

They deserve to be treated with the same care they offer every day, not thrown out in the midst of the country’s biggest health crisis in history.

Our communities stand in peril not only from a deadly disease but from a dangerous disregard for our health care professionals.

Workers at Essentia Heath have already demonstrated that they care deeply for their fellow citizens. It’s time for Essentia to show it’s equally committed to prioritizing the health of our communities.

~ Emil Ramirez, USW District 11 Director