UFCW | Hospitals Warned to Avoid Union-Busting Nurse Co.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2001

U.S. Nursing Corporation is a Prescription for Disaster at America's Hospitals
Hospitals Warned to Avoid Union-Busting Temporary Nursing Company

U.S. Nursing Corporation (USNC) is bad news to hospitals and patients. Marketed toward hospitals facing a possible strike, U.S. Nursing brings substandard care, insurance risk, questionable licensing and huge legal problems to any hospital.

United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), a leading voice for health care workers and quality patient care, is sounding the alarm to America's hospital administrators and to patients: U.S. Nursing is a prescription for disaster.

Consider U.S. Nursing's track record:

A history of multiple lawsuits and tax liens. US Nursing has been in bankruptcy twice, and bounced a check to the IRS for past due taxes. 2, 3
USNC scabs were fired in Massachusetts for giving a baby to the wrong mother for nursing and for leaving a postoperative patient unattended. 4
A laboring mother in California described USNC scabs "treating" her labor pains as "very, very rude, uncaring and unprofessional." 5
The State of Illinois ordered a Chicago hospital to kick out USNC scabs because the company failed to obtain a license. Then, USNC sued the hospital for non-payment. 6

Not only does U.S. Nursing carry the risk of poor patient care, but the company charges hospitals a small fortune for its services. Hospitals are forced to pay $4,000 per week, plus expenses, for a strike-breaking nurse. U.S. Nursing is rarely more cost-effective than settling a fair, long-term contract with experienced qualified nurses at a hospital.

Richard Green, General Counsel of U.S. Nursing Corporation is holding a session at the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration's Annual Conference. His session is titled, "When Strikes Occur." The UFCW is here today to say?when strikes occur, work as hard as possible to reach a fair agreement with your nurses. Hiring U.S. Nursing will prove to be a risky, expensive and unsuccessful tactic.

1 "Business of Replacing Nurses a Profitable One, Says Owner," Barre-Montpelier, VT Times-Argus, May 10, 1998; 2. "US Nursing Retreats to Bankruptcy to Escape IRS - Again" Denver Business Journal, June 3, 1994; 3 "From Operating Room to Courtroom: US Nursing in Poor Condition" Denver Business Journal, August 1, 1991; 4 "Three Replacement Workers Fired After Mistakes," Boston Herald, May 2, 2000; 5. "Nurses Return to Stockton Hospital After Strike," The Record, Stockton, CA, July 25, 2000; 6 US Nursing v. St. Joseph Medical Center, US Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, Case 94-1452

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