It could rain overnight Tuesday and there's a chance of showers and thunderstorms most days this week. She's a committed and caring colleague and a vocal supporter of HBHWU. It serves about 30,000 patients annually. Workers laid off at the 63rd Street clinic included mental health professionals, case managers and other services. Then they found a teens body in his fridge. And while the highest rates of people living with HIV who engage in care live on the citys north side, the neighborhoods with the highest incident rates of individuals newly diagnosed with HIV overwhelmingly live on the south side. Workers say that on the heels of their recent unionization, management is laying off 60 workers. . In the 11th and 12th centuries, Soest was a metropolis of its time, with well over 10,000 residents! Clickhereto support Block Clubwith atax-deductible donation. One of the defendants attorneys says hes using this lawsuit to silence and intimidate students and decision makers in higher education. I hope (the NLRB news) gives them an extra push to feel empowered, Martin said. Howard Brown Health is a federally qualified health center that employs several hundred people across its 12 clinics, the Broadway Youth Center and its three Brown Elephant resale shops. Union members say theyve even seen job postings for positions that were on the layoff list. Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan and essential coverage of Chicagos diverse neighborhoods. Photo: Ankit Khadgi When Julian Modugno, an event planner at the Howard Brown Health Center, was laid off, he wasn't shocked. Bergneustadt : Bergneustadt Localisation : Country Germany, State North Rhine-Westphalia, District Oberbergischer Kreis. Those massive windfalls allowed the organization to expand services to the citys south and west sides by opening five new clinics and building a permanent new home for their youth center on the north side. Howard Brown Health Workers, Protesters Blast Planned Layoffs: 'I'm But they chose to use that as a justification to reduce forces, right as a newly formed union was starting to bargain their first contract.. Listen to Its All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast: An 11th Police District Council representative is joining them in demanding more information about the police chase that ended with the 24-year-old's death. Ald. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune). During the first bargaining session in late November, management suggested a voluntary separation for 20 percent of its 450 employees including those who provide PrEP medication (meant to prevent HIV)and support to queer survivors of sexual assault, some of whom are also on the bargaining committee with one week of severance pay and just over a month of health care. Howard Brown Health Workers Begin 3-Day Strike - NBC Chicago Denying mental health services to the trans community, to members of the LGBTQ+ community is an atrocity. Those potentially losing their jobs range from behavioral health providers and people who manage PrEP navigation, HIV testing and STI screenings to the organizations entire In Power team, which helps survivors of sexual harm, according to union leaders. The people who are asked to take on the brunt of the trauma, of the pain our communities are feeling right now, are the least paid, the least cared for, Rodrguez Sanchez said. Howard Brown Health workers announce 3-day strike effective Tuesday - MSN A cut to working-class, queer peoples health care would be devastating, says Howard Brown patient Sean Estelle, who reported seeing a video of a drag performer at a local club announcing the gathering and urging people to turn out to the action. Theres too much mistrust.. It made over $213 million in total revenue during their 2020-2021 fiscal year, and kept $30 million of that after expenses, according to the clinics latest financial data. Tristan Bock-Hughes, a senior lead organizer with the Illinois Nurses Association, said the findings are vindicating. Im fighting for my job because I love this work, said Julian Modugno, an events planner. CHICAGO Howard Brown Health workers ended their three-day strike Thursday evening but vowed to keep fighting for the 61 union employees who were laid off Tuesday. Every dime we make fundsreportingfrom Chicagos neighborhoods. Workers at risk of losing their jobs shared their experiences with the crowd and explained how passionate they are about continuing to provide health care services at the center. . Executives introduced a buyout proposal, which the union rejected before the organization laid off 60 employees leading to a three-day strike among the unions 440 workers. Labor board officials could not immediately confirm that. Clinics get to keep the change, which can range from a few extra dollars to over $20,000 for just one dose (in the case of some cancer treatments), depending on the drug and the patients insurance. According to the union, Howard Brown Health said in an email to employees that nearly half of their patients are served by two out of the five clinics on the north side and the extra space is direly needed. Howard Brown Health is a federally qualified health center that employs several hundred people across its 12 clinics, the Broadway Youth Center and its resale shops. Got a story tip? She and the others only just learned they were getting laid off less than a month before. Our annual Optimist/Pessimist test is here. Clickhereto support BlockClub with atax-deductible donation. . Howard Brown has been raking in record profits, so why did it lay off more than 60 staff? The office at 4025 N. Sheridan Rd. Cynthia McDonald, a case manager for people below the age of 26 living with HIV, worries what will happen to her clients now that shes been laid off. My team was dwindled down to seven people. Recently unionized employees at Howard Brown Health, a nonprofit Chicago health clinic that caters particularly to LGBTQ people, plan to strike tomorrow. The Labor Relations Board office told Howard Brown about the findings and settlement verbally, but Howard Brown has not yet received a formal write-up on it, she said. Howard Brown Health Workers Say They're Facing Understaffing, Burnout CHICAGO Howard Brown Health workers ended their three-day strike Thursday evening but vowed to keep fighting for the 61 union employees who were laid off Tuesday. Were definitely going to look at a settlement, but we cant promise thats what well do because we dont know what it says yet.. Howard Brown Health's Workers Elect Union Representation This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). you cannot just sit there" It has 11 clinics throughout the city that specialize in treating LGBTQ patients and people living with HIV. Howard Brown Health, located at 4025 N. Sheridan Rd. National Labor Relations Board 'finds merit' in union claims against Its a bittersweet moment that we knew was going to come, said Robert M. Edsel, an author whose book on the group was the basis for a film starring George Clooney. Julian Modugno, who was laid off from Howard Brown, called the findings a huge relief.. Howard Brown Health workers unionize | Evening Digest | hpherald.com Please reload the page and try again. Management is also threatening to lay off 15 percent of their workforce, citing financial concerns., On December 30, the sixty employees who had previously been told they would be laid off tomorrow arrived at work to discover that they had been locked out of their emails and other work software, including at least one therapist who says that they lost access during a call with a patient. The union charges that Howard Brown Health illegally laid off 60 union employees and four non-union employees on December 30, after failing to bargain in good faith with the Illinois Nurses Association over the first contract. Watch our On The Block TV show on The U, CW26 and MeTV. Metos called the NLRBs findings a surprise and disappointing.. A rally for Howard Brown Health workers in Chicago, December 3, 2022. Staff were told "we are on lockdown but you have to keep working. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Her position as a behavioral health consultant at the 63rd Street clinic in Englewood was also cut. What is happening does not make sense with what their proposal is for this new facility, Gislain said, referring to a $44 million Lake View facility currently under construction. Howard Brown Management is currently working with Howard Brown Health Workers United (HBHWU) and the INA to negotiate a first contract for approximately 360 employees consisting of workers who are not in management, physician, safety, or confidential positions. There are now four behavioral health providers for 11 clinics and 30,000 patients.. Got a story tip? Howard Brown spokesperson Katie Metos said patient experience is being reported as the best in a decade despite layoffs and other cost-cutting measures that aimed to increase revenue through appointments while significantly reducing staff numbers. The In Power team are experts in this field. CHICAGO Workers at Howard Brown Health are fighting to prevent dozens of job cuts at the Midwests largest LGBTQ-affirming health care center. It offers health care, wellness, behavioral health, testing, pediatric, smoking cessation, and community initiative services. Clinics that serve the LGBTQ+ community made huge profits via 340B over the past several years thanks mostly to PrEp, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, a world-changing class of HIV-preventing drugs that work better than condoms at protecting people at high risk of acquiring HIV. Its very important to us that we can continue towards our No. The layoffs were tough, she said, and since then shes been able to find another job in her field. An 11th Police District Council representative is joining them in demanding more information about the police chase that ended with the 24-year-old's death. The management claims that services wont be interrupted but if youre cutting 100 people and services wont be interrupted, that means those who remain will have to do double the work theyre doing.. Its a good feeling, said Lindsey Martin, who worked as a behavioral health consultant for Howard Brown before getting laid off earlier this year. [Munar] doesnt know that because hes not a health care worker. Gordon also said trust between leadership and employees was pretty well damaged by the labor dispute. Its our job to speak up for the 63rd Street Clinic. Then they found a teens body in his fridge. in the Buena Park neighborhood, is seen in this photo, Thursday afternoon, Dec. 9, 2021. in Buena Park is one of the Howard Brown Health locations in Chicago. Get our print magazine for just $20 a year. The layoffs put me in a financial bind.. CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of Howard Brown Health union workers are planning to go on strike for three days starting on January 3rd citing unfair labor practices. that our country needs more sustainable ways to support public health and our communities, wrote a representative from CrescentCare, a LGBTQ+ centered health clinic in New Orleans. Allegations of unfair labor practices at Howard Brown Health have - MSN Founded in 1974, Howard Brown Health is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer organization. Where do I go from here?: Over 12,000 basement flooding reports were filed with 311 after record rainfall in July, Dear Abby: Relationship suffers as man decides he no longer has to show appreciation, Beyonc fans show off elaborate outfits ahead of sold-out opening-night performance at Soldier Field, Beyonc delivers a powerhouse, out-of-this-world experience at Soldier Field concert, Dear Abby: We cant afford our share of big baby shower that son-in-laws parents want, Rapper G Herbo pleads guilty to using stolen credit cards to pay for private jets, luxury cars, stay at Jamaican villa, With affirmative action gone, states have a duty to eliminate inequity in public schools, Michael Jordans sale of the Charlotte Hornets gets NBA approval, Bears arrow is pointing up right? Depending on what the settlement looks like, depending on what appeal looks like, were just going to have to figure out how that impacts our bottom line, Metos said. The clinic has promised to build a new health care center in Bronzeville by 2024, but a representative said in a written statement to the Reader that Howard Brown will need to stabilize its finances before any further growth plans advance and that discussions are in preliminary stages regarding the south side clinic. Gilead Sciences, the maker of the original name-brand versions of PrEP, Descovy and Truvada, had provided huge cash reimbursements to clinics for uninsured patients that take the brand-name PrEP through a charity program called Advancing Access. But on January 1, 2022, Gilead drastically lowered the amount of those reimbursements. Success! The Region 13 director found merit or partial merit to allegations in eight unfair labor practice charges against Howard Brown Health, including bad faith bargaining, creating the impression of surveillance, failing to provide information, and declaring an impasse and refusing to bargain over layoffs, said Kayla Blado, a spokeswoman for the National Labor Relations Board, in an email. Indicates that a Newsmaker/Newsmakers was/were physically present to report the article from some/all of the location(s) it concerns. Every dime we make fundsreportingfrom Chicagos neighborhoods. //]]> Any person that has been honest about the malfeasance of management, specifically of the [Executive Leadership Team], have been placed on [the layoff] list, she said. And then we really had to restructure how we deliver social services and behavioral health, but our core medical teams at our 11 locations were not touched at all.. Representatives for Howard Brown Health didnt immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday. We'll be sending you The Daily Reader starting soon. I think all of the programs and services offered by HBH are absolutely essential and integral pieces in keeping our community healthy, but my favorite is the Howard Brown Health Workers United. Heres a brief history of the last 40 years of the film industry in Chicago, reflections from IATSE organizers, and a look toward the future of work for people who are thinking of getting in on the action. There are a lot of folks who feel like the damage has been done, Martin said. Howard Brown Health Workers Say Theyre Facing Understaffing, Burnout As They Push To Unionize, Howard Brown leaders said in a statement in November, building a new, 71,000-square-foot building along North Halsted. Nearly seven months after workers staged a three-day strike to protest layoffs at Howard Brown Health, federal labor relations officials have found merit or partial merit in the accusations union members made against . Flowers said seeing the NLRB findings made her feel vindicated and justified in the unions fight, but that laid-off workers needed restitution. In September 2022, Howard Brown Health averted a strike in the eleventh hour after settling with a separately organized group of thirty registered nurses, who are also represented by INA. And thats not how healthcare works.. Catalog; For You; Chicago Sun-Times. Best of Chicago 2022: Sports & Recreation, An ex-cop is suing UIC Law School for discrimination, Howard Brown Health halts its medical forensic exam program, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. I was left as the only consultant for three months due to others leaving after begging for raises, Flores said. They also want to see more providers hired to help understaffed clinics better care for thousands of patients, organizers said. Our members who were laid off are paying the price for [Munars] and the executive leadership teams mismanagement. Its not just us, our patients and our community who sees the injustice. Will Justin Fields take the next step toward elite status or stagnate/regress like so many other Bears quarterbacks before him? With the move, the union began representing more than 400 Howard Brown, Broadway Youth Center and Brown Elephant workers, though that number has now dropped to 355 workers. This includes directly interviewing sources and research / analysis of primary source documents. . #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left;width:100%;font-weight:normal;}, Beyond Chicago from the Air with Geoffrey Baer. A photo of the email from a manager informing the workers of their impending layoff circulated on social media and showed that he didnt personalize the message, so each email addressed a given employee as NAME.. Following a negotiation stalemate that started earlier this month and rallies held across the country, the union and UPS say they will resume talks Tuesday. On January 5, workers at Howard Brown Health Center ended a three-day strike that was spurred by the sudden layoffs of more than five dozen employees at the organizations clinics. A strike vote was held in mid-December, and among 80% of union members who turned in ballots, 92% were in favor of the strike, according to the Howard Brown employees union. CHICAGO Workers at Howard Brown Health are fighting to prevent dozens of job cuts at the Midwest's largest LGBTQ-affirming health care center. Although Howard Browns four clinics on the south side are smaller and have fewer staff than those on the north side, a third of the positions cut by leadership worked at the south side clinics. The strike is expected to include 440 unionized health care workers and will affect all 14 Howard Brown Health-operated sites in the area, but Gislain said the strike will definitely stop after . Howard Brown leaders said in a statement in November they need to reduce staffing as part of a broader move to improve the organizations finances. CHICAGO Howard Brown Health committed several unfair labor practices in the past year as the LGBTQ+ health center bargained with its employees new union and laid off 60 workers, a labor board ruled. Fundraiser for Guaran Bella by Howard Brown Health Workers United I heard of HBH through research to which Howard Brown Health has contributed. Workers went on strike for several days in January. How can you propose laying off a fifth of your staff when we can barely meet the demands of our patients as it is? said Shakia Flowers, a behavioral health provider at Howard Brown who was also elected to the bargaining committee. In a win for Howard Brown Health Workers United, the National Labor Relations Board found merit to charges of unfair labor practices from the queer health care organization. We have a lot of small, very focused teams of three to five people covering the 11-clinic network for a particular identity or disease state, and that was a difficult model, Munar said. Its very weird to cut staff by 60 and then immediately staff back up again in September.. INA organizer (and former Jacobin podcast producer) Sarah Hurd told me, Setting aside the fact that this projection was not mentioned prior to these workers unionizing, nor have we been provided with the methodology of how they came up with this number, there are also other places they could cut from like Executive Leadership Team compensation. According to ProPublica, Howard Brown CEO David Ernesto Munar gave himself a $100,000 raise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Howard Brown Health Wrongfully Laid Off Employees, Labor Board Says (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune). Get or give a print subscription for just $7.89 this weekend by following this link. To find out 10 days later that they were trying to lay me off was confusing.. We cannot allow a single layoff.. Howard Brown Health Workers United on Twitter Howard Brown Health workers' 3-day strike ending today - CBS News Thanks for subscribing to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom.