MEDIA ADVISORY FOR: Thursday, October 28, 2021
Contact on behalf of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW:
Libby Smelker, Libby@617mediagroup.com, (617) 481-4801
Cascade healthcare workers to Acadia execs: safe staffing is a no-brainer!
You don’t need brains to know unsafe workplaces hurt caregivers, patients, and communities, say workers on safety strike in Washington State
TUKWILA, WA — This Halloween, Cascade Behavioral Health workers don’t want tricks – just to be treated fairly. Frontline workers at Cascade have been asking management for one thing since August 1: Safe staffing levels at their facility. They’re hoping this no-brainer decision will win over CEO Chris West and executives at parent company Acadia Healthcare, who have failed to hire dedicated security staff and address safety concerns.
King County Councilmember Joe McDermott and other supporters will join workers on the picket line this Thursday, October 28 at 12:30 PDT to call out Acadia and Cascade CEO Chris West to take action immediately to fix the ongoing safety problems.
Acadia Healthcare has failed to meet Washington state’s requirements to mitigate workers’ exposure to workplace violence, fostering an unsafe work environment at Cascade Behavioral Health that has put both patients and staff in danger. Lacking dedicated and trained security personnel, the facility is plagued by chronic understaffing, unchecked workplace violence, and deficient COVID-19 protections. These dangerous conditions have resulted in a series of recent incidents that led to multiple staff injuries due to workplace violence.
Since the healthcare workers began their safety strike in August, Cascade’s daily census has fallen by half as fewer patients have been admitted to the incident-plagued facility.
WHO: Safety strikers, community allies and special guest Joe McDermott, King County Councilmember representing Tukwila
WHAT: Spooky #Striketober picket line by the only striking workers in Washington, visuals will include zombies, other Halloween costumes and attention-grabbing signs featuring Cascade executives
WHEN: Thursday, October 28 – 12:30 pm, PDT (click for invite)
WHERE: Cascade Behavioral Health Hospital, 12844 Military Rd S, Tukwila, WA
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About SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is a union of nurses and healthcare workers with over 32,000 caregivers throughout hospitals, clinics, mental health, skilled home health and hospice programs in Washington state and Montana. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW’s mission is to advocate for quality care and good jobs for all.
SEIU Healthcare 1199NW and Cascade Behavioral Health are engaged in a labor dispute.