News Pic

sign language

Photo By Tom Angel

Purple-and-yellow signs sprouted over the weekend in the Avenues neighborhood surrounding Enloe Medical Center. It was part of a union effort to pressure the hospital to accept, rather than continue to appeal, the results of an election that won representation for some groups of Enloe employees as well as housekeeping and dietary staff members working for Compass, with whom Enloe contracts. Members of SEIU 250 had previously canvassed the neighborhood to see who would be willing to have a sign in their yard. On Saturday, Linda Furr, far right, who lives near Third and Arcadian avenues, came up to union organizer Charlie Eaton and nurse’s aide Barbara Garcia and asked for a sign. “They’re spending so much money to deny the service workers a right to have a say,” said Furr, who also took issue with hospital administrators’ high salaries. Garcia said since her unit won the April 2004 election, “nothing’s changed. Everything’s at a standstill, like we don’t exist. I’d just like a say in what happens to me: my future, my benefits.” SEIU 250 will host a rally Saturday, June 25, at the corner of Sixth and The Esplanade.