AFSCME Members Rally for Quality Care and Respect During First Day of Contract Negotiations
(Reported by:Jordan Vandenberge From www.KOMU.com)
JEFFERSON CITY - One union believes safety and respect will build a better Missouri. The rotunda echoed the demands of hundreds of union members urging state legislators to take action on Tuesday.
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal employees pleaded and negotiated new contracts.The 8,000 member union claims a lack of resources and dangerously low staffing levels triggers lower levels of patient car across the state.
The organization says an increase in state funding will assist an over worked and under appreciated workforce. "Once you've worked so much overtime, you are exhausted and not as awake and coherent as you should be...which is bad for us and our clients," said rehab specialist Michelle Sanders.
"We have to be strong and alert. We want to do it, but how can you do it if you don't have the staff?" said veteran home caregiver Delores Scales.
Scales later said some state facilities operate with a mere skeleton crew because of the lack of state funding.The state won't finalize the results of today's negotiations for a few weeks, but union members remain hopeful.
