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Stanford Health Care is Cutting Costs on the Backs of Workers

by Despite Receiving Federal Funding To Pay Them
A demonstration in Palo Alto drew dozens to protest Stanford Health Care's heartless cost cutting move. Protestors admirably maintained required physical distance and wore masks.
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Stanford Hospital healthcare workers, heroes to many, are facing a choice that is not really a choice. Employees and members of the public are shocked that Stanford Health Care recently demanded that frontline workers “share the sacrifice” in this time of pandemic, and choose between being furloughed, taking paid time off early, or accepting a 20% pay cut. 

And Stanford is cutting costs on the backs of the workers even after receiving federal funding to pay them.

Linda Cornell is a nursing unit secretary at Stanford Hospital, employed there now for close to 40 years. She spoke to reporters at a demonstration on May 21 at the intersection of Sand Hill Rd. and El Camino Real in Palo Alto.

“It’s just crazy at a time like this during the pandemic when workers are valuable and highly needed. These are frontline health care workers who deal directly with patients. They go in and clean their rooms, take out their trash, bring them their meals, and draw their blood.

They are essential workers and when there are fewer people to do the job of caring for patients, you are putting those patients at risk. When you increase workload you are also putting the employees at risk of getting ill. Some of the housekeepers are getting injured. It’s disheartening that Stanford would treat its frontline workers this way," she said.

SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West spokesperson Steve Trossman told the Stanford Daily that the cuts are unnecessary given Stanford’s endowments, Stanford Health Care’s reserves and the more than $100 million in funding it received through the CARES Act. “Stanford just sees [the workers] as another line on a balance sheet,” Trossman wrote in a statement to The Daily.

At Thursday's demonstration dozens of hospital workers joined by concerned members of the public held signs including ones that read “Stanford caregivers deserve respect” and “Stanford thanks its healthcare heroes with pay cuts!” Many people driving along the El Camino honked their car horns in support.
§Essential Workers Demonstrate
by After Receiving Federal Funding To Pay Them
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§Demonstrators on the Shady Side of the Street
by After Receiving Federal Funding To Pay Them
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Right outside the tony Stanford Shopping Center
§Raging Grannies in Straw Hats
by After Receiving Federal Funding To Pay Them
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§Granny Maria
by After Receiving Federal Funding To Pay Them
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§All Along the El Camino
by After Receiving Federal Funding To Pay Them
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Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by ...jjl...
Stanford says most workers are going into accumulated PTO (paid time off)…but PTO alone is often not enough to cover the pay cuts and going negative means no PTO in future years. Stanford’s solution is UNREASONABLE!
by Shocking
Stanford Health Care abruptly announced that it would require its employees to take 96 furlough hours over a 10-week period. That equals a 20 percent pay cut during that time. With the loss of pay it will be difficult for workers to pay their rent, buy groceries and take care of their families.
Employees said that meanwhile Stanford Health Care CEO David Entwistle made $2 .78 million in 2018.. A 20 percent cut for the CEO over 10 weeks would still leave him $2.65 million to live on.
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