Lourdes workers picket to bring awareness to ongoing problems at Richland center
RICHLAND, Wash — Workers with Lourdes Counseling Center in Richland are bringing awareness to ongoing problems at the center that staff say are causing workplace safety concerns.
On Monday morning the crowd of picketers chanted, "What do we want? Fair staffing! When do we want it? Now!" on the corner of Carondelet Drive and Goethals Drive in Richland.
This is just one of two protests Lourdes employees hosted on Monday.
The second will take place at Jon Dam Plaza and will go from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Picketers tells Action News they want better wages and benefits to recruit quality staff that is needed at the center.
Workers say the low wages are causing staff shortages which are also causing concerns of workplace safety for both staff and patients.
"I think it's something important to think about is when we have all of the resources at our disposal that we need to provide the highest quality care for our patients and ensure staff safety we have greater opportunities to ensure that we're sending the healthiest possible individuals back into our community," Christopher Schamber, a mental health professional at Lourdes said.
Workers say they have been struggling to get a fair contract for the last eight months.
They also say these protests will continue until they get a fair contract.
A spokesperson for Lourdes Health sent us the following statement regarding the picketing event: "Lourdes Counseling Center takes very seriously our commitment to delivering high-quality, safe and compassionate care close to home, and we strive daily to create excellent workplaces for our employees.
The employees represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) are critical members of our team, and we support them and respect their right to assemble and speak freely to the community they serve. While we will not comment on specific elements on those negotiations out of respect for the bargaining process, we are confident that the result will be a mutually agreeable contract acceptable to all. In the meantime, please rest assured that we will not be distracted from providing excellent care to our patients and community."
