Women Strike in Cleveland ....

By Faith Simon

Since August 16, 50 striking nurses of the Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) have marched the picket line at their Cleveland headquarters on Chester Avenue. As in many of the recent nurses' strikes around the country, the main issue is control. The nurses want a say in the size of their caseload. VNA Director Gloria Pace-King and the VNA Board of Directors, however, are determined to keep the status quo.

Visiting nurses have an important job. They provide health care for homebound ill and elderly patients who might otherwise be forced to return to the hospital or be cared for in nursing homes. The VNA nurses, however, feel they cannot do their jobs adequately with the current caseloads. According to Jerry Hannibal, a member of the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) bargaining committee, "If we see 7 or 8 patients per day, we just can't give the kind of care we've learned to and want to give":

The problem is not a new one. Last year in the in-

...

itiał ONA contract, a committee of labor and management was mandated to develop a workable clause dealing with caseload. But Pace-King, in violation of the contract, disbanded the committee and now refuses even to negotiate until the ONA drops the clause.

There has been no good faith bargaining in this strike. In fact, it appears the VNA is interested in one thing only-attempting to break the union. On September 1, the nurses offered to return. to work and submit all issues to binding arbitration. The answer from management was a loud, emphatic no!

In early September the nurses received a letter from the VNA management threatening to replace them if they didn't return to work by the end of the week. Even in the face of such threats, however, the nurses have remained strong. The strikers vow to continue picketing "until Christmas, if that's what it takes".

The nurses are not alone. The community in general and their patients have been very supportive.

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WSW Notes

Strike W

The deadline for articles, ads, etc. for the next issue of What She Wants is November 15. Call our new. telephone number at the Civic, 321-3054, for further information or if you have questions.

WSW needs electric typewriters, tables, filing cabinets, chairs, lamps and bookshelves. All donations are tax deductible.

• Join us at the Civic, 3130 Mayfield Road, on November 15 for a carpentry workshop to build bookshelves for the Feminist Lending Library. Bring your own hammer.

Page 4/What She Wants/October-November, 1982

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Patients and friends have joined the strikers on th picket line, and on September 23 folksinger Pett Seeger, in town for a concert, stopped by the line to sing a few songs for the strikers.

Although the issue of caseload is an extremely im portant one to the nurses, it is not the only issue. The nurses also seek a wage increase to bring them up to comparable wages with hospital nurses. Other issues include special contract provisions for hospice nurses such as reliable transportation and comp time.

Donations and messages of support can be sent to ONA, P.O. Box 78, Northfield, Ohio 44061.

and in Warren

Health workers at Trumbell Memorial Hospital in Warren, Ohio have been on strike for nine weeks now. 425 members of AFSCME Local 2804 walked out when management refused to bargain when their contract expired in August. Issues include wages, benefits for 'part-time workers and reinstatement and amnesty for strikers.

Although the hospital is the largest of the three hospitals in Warren, its workers-mostly women, blacks and many part-timers-are the worst paid. The starting salary is only $4.85 per hour. Parttimers receive no health benefits, and must work 3 out of every 4 weekends. Management has refused to discuss the issues, and a NLRB grievance is pending against them.

The strikers are maintaining 24-hour pickets at the four entrances to the hospital. Local labor support has been good; solidarity rallies are held every Wednesday in which 400-500 workers from other unions and community people come out to show their support.

The AFSCME workers have been raising strike funds for strikers in hardship situations. They collect on the picket line and go door to door to seek-support from other unions. To offer your support, send con. tributions to AFSCME Local 2804, -Steelworkers Union Hall, Elm Road, Warren, Ohio.

-Reprinted from Socialist Worker October, 1982

Women Beware!

Within the past four months, there have been a number of rapes and attempted rapes in the University Circle area during daylight hours. In June, a woman walking on Edgehill between Overlook and Murray Hill was raped. Several weeks later another woman was attacked on Edgehill at 5:00 p.m. but was able to escape after biting her assailant's hand. Just two weeks ago a nurse was raped in the same area at 6:40 a.m. Rumors of two additional rapes during the last three weeks have been difficult to verify.

Until law enforcement agencies are willing to cooperate in bringing to women's attention rapist patterns, we recommend forming our own rape information network to take active steps to protect ourselves in high incidence areas. If you have infor mation for publication concerning rape or attempted rape that would aid in prevention, please write to WSW/Info Network, P.O. Box 18465, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 441-18.