Ballard Swedish Hospital workers will join nurses and healthcare workers from around the city to picket for better staffing and improved investment. The workers are calling on the hospital to “put patients’ health care dollars into frontline care,” saying the hospital earned $110 million in profit last year. Roughly 7,000 caregivers are expected to picket at various Swedish campuses around the city from noon to 2 p.m. today, including First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard, Issaquah, and Edmonds. The First Hill campus will be joined by County Executive Dow Constantine at 12:45 p.m.
The workers, united in SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, “are taking action for better staffing and improved investment in caregiver retention in order to give patients the best quality care,” according to a statement. The rally will include a thousand-member picket at Swedish First Hill at 4 p.m., with a rally to follow at 5:15 featuring Mayor Ed Murray and other elected officials, community leaders, and workers among the speakers.
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