Protect Essential Workers at UNM Hospitals

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much society depends on essential workers. Custodial, and maintenance staff are crucial to the function of the hospital and the well-being of patients. They are also considered to be Tier 1 employees (1). The hospital is able to maintain cleanliness, sanitation and functionality by employment of these skilled workers. Healthcare waste is a reservoir for various pathogenic microorganisms (4). Such disposal is crucial in accomplishing the reduction in cases of infected persons; our housekeeping employees handle hazardous bodily fluids and contaminated infectious materials everyday and are an integral part of infection control. Maintenance staff are tasked with keeping equipment and the building in working order. Clinicians are not able to provide healthcare services and promote health if our tools and shelter are not operational.

As the concern for virus transmission rises during the current political climate and state phased reopening, it is essential to advocate for the health and safety of our hospital workers, especially Tier 1 employees. In April alone, there were an estimated 27 COVID-related health worker deaths in the USA; however, the actual numbers are probably much higher (3).  Additionally, Black and Latino Americans make up a large part of the essential workforce and have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 (2). 

Non-clinical, hourly wage earners are of the lowest bracket of the hospital and are therefore the most vulnerable to devastating financial consequences. They are also less likely to have amassed savings for emergency situations, leaving them with little to no choice but to continue working to provide for their families. Should they become ill or die of contracting COVID-19, their entire family may lose stability and their main source of income. They must leverage the risk without reflective wages for fear of losing income overall. As much as any other essential healthcare worker in the hospital, they, too, need protection, support, and compensation for the incredible risk they are enduring. Custodial staff are responsible for sterilizing and disposing of contaminated hospital waste. Providing adequate PPE and protecting accrued leave will in  turn will shield families from further financial hardships in the event of a work-related adverse event or inadvertent infection of a family member. This is not a burden shared equally across all hospital staff.

Hospitals across the nation are suffering financially during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. In order to survive through this difficult time, the hospital needs its custodial and maintenance staff as much as they need the clinicians. It would be prudent for hospital leadership to stand by its core values of integrity, accountability, diversity, and compassion and respect for colleagues. These folks are unwaveringly dedicated to their work regardless, but a person who feels valued, adequately compensated, and protected, their work becomes more efficient and diligent and further contributes toward the hospital's goals (5).

We, the medical student organizations of SNMA, PHR and LMSA, unite to advocate for the health of the hospital worker community. We hear the underrepresented voices of Black, Indigenous, and Latino communities who form an overwhelming part of our custodial and maintenance staff.  We are committed to supporting the needs of underserved and vulnerable communities, especially during the ongoing Novel COVID-19 outbreak.  

Therefore, we call on UNM Hospital administration and leadership to enter into good faith and legally binding negotiations with 1199NM Union of Hospital Workers surrounding COVID-19 work-related issues.  

At minimum, items to be discussed include but are not limited to:

-Adequate PPE be made accessible to all employees. PPE includes but is not limited to N-95 masks. PPE expansion efforts are to include proper training on its use, delivered in both English and Spanish.

-Eligibility for Conditional Paid Leave should the employee face situations of quarantine and isolation due to contraction or possible exposure to COVID-19.

-The formation of a volunteer COVID-19 response team for all departments. This will identify and designate staff who are WILLING and ABLE to work in close proximity to COVID-19 patients.

-Guaranteed hazard pay for those persons working in close proximity to identified COVID-19 patients.

-Worker representation on the hospital PPE board committee. This is apart from supervisory representation.

-Direct discouragement of informal disciplinary action and intimidation tactics, including but not limited to unofficial documentation, that does not allow for worker support representation to be present.

-Timely, written distribution of updated policies and important email correspondence from hospital administrators to each non-clinical department, in both English and Spanish and in accessible language, to ensure workers with inadequate email access remain informed.

Other hospitals in NM have successfully entered into union negotiations with their workers regarding these issues.  We urge UNM Hospitals to respond to these requests with due haste while acknowledging the current conditions in which our hospital workers face. We must ensure that essential workers can do their jobs safely and effectively. Our essential workers deserve our best. Additionally, the treatment of our underrepresented workers is a direct reflection of the institution's attitudes towards its underrepresented learners and clinicians.  UNM Hospitals has always dedicated itself to justice and service to the underprivileged and underserved. The University of New Mexico strives to promote and maintain a safe healthy working environment for faculty, staff, and visitors and ensure the well-being of its employees (2). We hope you can continue to honor that spirit in the treatment of your workers.

Sources:

1. "Functional Operating Tiers." Functional Operating Tiers :: Human Resources | The University of New Mexico, hr.unm.edu/cv19/functional-operating-tiers.
2. "Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)." Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) :: New Mexico's Flagship University | The University of New Mexico, 3 June 2020, www.unm.edu/coronavirus/.
3. The Lancet. "The plight of essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic." Lancet. 2020;395(10237):1587. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31200-9
4. Singh, Anantpreet, and Sukhjit Kaur. "Training of Healthcare Workers." Biomedical Waste Disposal, 2012, pp. 151–151., doi:10.5005/jp/books/11554_12.
5. Wendy Jones, Roger Haslam & Cheryl Haslam (2017) What is a 'good' job? Modelling job quality for blue collar workers, Ergonomics, 60:1, 138-149, DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2016.1165870.