Greens joined the AFSCME/HEART Committee today in picketing West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park. The group was protesting "union busting," reprisals against nurses, and short staffing policies.
Picketing began shortly after 12:00 pm when a small group of pickets appeared. Over the next hour others joined the effort. Eventually, two hundred people were involved including passers-by and some hospital employees who left the building, still in hospital scrubs. Some patients were seen waving to protesters from the upper floors.
Resurrection Security personnel from several system hospitals were present, but were apparently unable to identify employees.
In another action earlier in the week, picketers demonstrating in front of the office of Resurrection's fund raising chair, provoked an all out response from the Niles Police Department. It turned out that a former mayor of Niles worked in the same office. Police withdrew on learning that picketers were not targeting the former mayor.
