1199 Lab Workers Defend Their Licensure; Campaign to Educate Public
2008 has been a busy time for 1199 laboratory professionals. From defending their licensure to fighting for more just wages, they have been busy promoting the profession they love.
Threat to Licensure fought back Early this year a legislative threat to lab licensure appeared in the form of a proposal to the governor’s budget bill written by the New York Department of Health (DOH). The DOH proposal would have allowed unlicensed personnel to receive certificates to work in so-called specialties, in effect allowing unlicensed people to work whenever a lab manager claimed they were short. The 1199SEIU Lab Committee mobilized their colleagues in and out of the Union in a large letter writing and petition campaign, along with intense lobbying from 1199, to defeat the proposal. The Union was successful! During this period 1199’s Professional & Technical Dept. met with hospital representatives to work out a better legislative approach to address some of the problems in the licensure bill, and to deal with the shortages in the profession. This language allows different pathways for certain specialties (such as cytogenetics, stem cell processing, and others), extends the grandfathering, and includes language for histology techs. This is now working its way through the state legislature. This legislation, under A-10945 in the Assembly and S-8117 in the Senate, can be obtained by going to: The New York State Assembly Website. Educating the Public Meanwhile, 1199 lab workers all over New York have been forcefully articulating to hospitals that the shortage of laboratory personnel will only get worse unless there is a significant increase in the wage scale. At the same time, the 1199SEIU Laboratory Committee, which has over 30 institutions represented, has been engaged in a campaign to educate the public and the broader medical community to bring a greater awareness on the critical role the lab profession plays. They have set up tables in the hospitals, promoting their profession with buttons, brochures, posters, etc. They’ve spoken at youth fairs and community associations. It is absolutely critical to attract younger people to this aging field. This promotional effort is one part of that. Increasing the wages is the other.  | | Vivian Stuart, Medical Technologist, Northshore—LIJ Franklin Hospital |
30-year lab veteran Vivian Stuart from Franklin Hospital makes the point that because laboratory practitioners’ vital work is done behind the scenes, “we have a duty to bring awareness to our profession as being essential members of the hospital healthcare team. During 2008 National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, my colleagues educated the public and other healthcare personnel through educational displays, 1199SEIU ‘Value Laboratory Professionals’ campaign handouts, brochures, posters, etc. Many questions were asked and answered. It was an enjoyable time for all.” 1199 celebrated National Laboratory Week by putting on a continuing education seminar, which was attended by over 145 laboratory practitioners. The topics included the laboratory personnel crisis and its implications, a laboratory diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies, air quality concerns for clinical laboratory personnel, and improving communication between the laboratory and the clinician. The audience then heard directly from representatives from the New York Department of Health and the New York State Education Department on a variety of regulatory issues. To get more information on the ongoing campaign to attain respect and a just wage for laboratory professionals, please contact Debora Hunte, 1199 Professional & Technical Specialist, at 212-857-4398, debora.hunte@1199.org. 
|
