Community and Labor Groups to Host Town Hall Event on July 11th
Concerns for the Future of University Hospital’s In-Patient Pediatric Services

Labor and community organizations are sponsoring a Town Hall Event on Wednesday, July 11th to bring together the community for an open conversation about the future of Pediatric In-Patient services at University Hospital, New Jersey’s only public hospital and a designated level one trauma center. As the NJ Department of Health continues to review a pending application to close Pediatric In-Patient services at the hospital, the town hall event is an opportunity for the community to raise their concerns and ask questions on the impact these decisions will have on patients and the community.

Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: Ebenezer Baptist Church, 119 Camden Street, Newark, NJ

After raising concerns with the NJ DOH over the closure, the nurses and health professionals represented by HPAE were informed on Tuesday, July 3 by hospital administrators that pediatrics will remain open until NJ DOH issues a decision on the hospital’s Certificate of Need application. Nurses who had been given layoff notices were informed that those notices were being put “on-hold” pending the Department of Health’s decision.

“As health professionals, we will advocate for our patients and the community to keep public healthcare services in Newark. Labor and community groups know that a united, strong voice will force decisionmakers to keep the public informed and give us say in protecting the future of University Hospital,” said Cynthia McDougall, RN and President of HPAE Local 5089.

The newly formed coalition includes: labor unions, which represent 20,000 members in public healthcare at Rutgers Health and University Hospital, including, NJ AFL-CIO, AAUP, AFT, CWA, AFSCME, FOP, SEIU; and community organizations including NJ Appleseed, People’s Organization for Progress, New Hope Baptist Church, NJ Communities United, NJ Citizen Action and We Care Partners.