All articles tagged with #understaffed
Unpaid air traffic controllers are working long hours during the government shutdown, which could lead to increased absenteeism and impact air travel safety, reminiscent of the 2018-2019 shutdown. The workforce is critically understaffed, and the stress and uncertainty may affect their mental health and job performance, potentially influencing the shutdown's resolution.
Tuberculosis cases are on the rise in New York City, with 500 confirmed cases so far this year, making it the worst year in a decade. The NYC agency responsible for monitoring the disease is understaffed, leading to difficulties in responding to new cases. In other news, there are proposals to extend the 7 train line to New Jersey, NYC public school students have new lunch menu offerings, and a New Hampshire man is accused of stalking a New York woman "by plane."
Commercial airlines in the US experienced 46 "close calls" in July, highlighting the alarming number of incidents this year. The shortage of air traffic controllers, with 99% of facilities being understaffed, has forced many to work mandatory overtime, leading to burnout and potential safety risks. Recent near-misses include aircraft almost colliding during take-off or landing at major airports, raising concerns among industry workers. While fatal incidents involving small aircraft occur several times per year, the last fatal crash involving a US airline was in 2009. Experts warn that the industry is facing a potential disaster if the trend of near misses is not reversed.
Over 200 workers at Loretto Hospital in Chicago went on strike, including mental health workers, radiology technicians, and housekeepers, citing low pay and understaffing. The turnover rate at the hospital is nearly 60%. Union organizers announced that the hospital management rejected their latest counteroffer, which included an increase in the minimum starting wage, wage increases for current staff, and recognition of the Juneteenth holiday. The strike aims to address not only compensation but also the need for familiar faces for patients experiencing traumatic incidents. The hospital has spent $1.5 million on temporary workers during the strike.
A group of unions has filed an antitrust complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice against UPMC, accusing the healthcare system of not paying workers a fair wage and worsening work conditions. The complaint asserts that UPMC acquired dominant market power in both hospital markets and labor markets across Pennsylvania and unfairly used that power to harm patients and workers. UPMC has responded by stating that it is moving to $18 per hour for its non-union workforce by 2025, which is the highest entry-level of any healthcare provider in the state.
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans has declared a public health state of emergency at the overcrowded and understaffed juvenile jail, which will include setting up an incident command center that reports to Evans and will expedite adding staff and providing therapeutic services. The jail can comfortably handle just 80 juveniles, but there were 137 in the facility on Tuesday. The average stay has ballooned from 21 days to 127 days, and one child languished in the facility for over 800 days awaiting a placement. The overcrowding has created a staffing crisis in the facility.