Resurrection Health Care: Invitations to Dialogue

Fall 2002
Resurrection Health Care (RHC) employees initiate contact with American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 AFSCME organizers speak with 900+ employees

March 15, 2003
At a Worker Summit, 100 employee representatives meet to set course of organizing effort.  AFSCME commits to standing with Resurrection Health Care Employees.  Employees form HEART (Healthcare Employees Acting at Resurrection Together)

April 10, 2003    
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and the Sisters of the Resurrection, co-sponsors of Resurrection Health Care, are invited by AFSCME to participate in a dialogue regarding creating a fair process for employees to decide about forming a collective voice

May 1, 2003    
Response from Vice President of Human Relations (Not sponsoring sisters) Reply does not address invitation to dialogue

May 30, 2003
Second letter sent to Sisters to request dialogue;   No response received to this request

May 2003
Employees begin meeting with pastors and priests of Archdiocese of Chicago regarding their work situation including the need for dialogue             

August 2003         
"The Case for Dialogue" released by AFSCME as source of information to Catholic Community

September 3, 2003
Thirty-seven Archdiocesan priests sign petition to RHC Board of Directors requesting dialogue and expressing willingness to act as intermediaries to facilitate dialogue process

November 13, 2003
Day of Prayer for dialogue held on Feast of Mother Cabrini; RHC invited but did not attend.

January 2004
Executive Committee of the Association of Chicago Priests* passes a resolution emphasizing the need for dialogue.

Lent 2004
Series of reflections written by clergy, women religious, and employees calling for the need to dialogue

May 2004
Mass of Transformation and Rally Focus of Liturgy is on the invitation to dialogue 

August 26, 2004
Independent Workers' Rights Board hearing held to explore RHC labor policies.  Resurrection invited; wrote a letter declining to participate

September 8, 2004
Workers' Rights Board releases their findings to the community, call for dialogue

Download Workers' Rights Board report

October 15, 2004
Fifty-six women religious in Chicago sign letter to Sisters of the Resurrection and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, calling for dialogue.

November 5, 2004
Sister Sally Marie Kiepura, CSFN, responds to Sisters' petition with a 12 page letter stating that RHC will not accept invitations to dialogue.

December 8, 2004
Forty-three women religious respond to Sr. Kiepura's letter, asking for a meeting, sister to sister only to discuss the current struggle.  (The Sisters finally responded six months after the petition was sent; they refused the offer to meet with the signatories)

December 15, 2004
 "Healthcare Injustice", a short documentary highlighting the human costs of corportization as well as the struggle for a fair organizing process at RHC, was released.
   
To request a copy of the video, please contact Ramsin Canon at 773-792-2430 xt 5335.

October 11, 2005
Open letter to Resurrection Health Care, signed by nearly 2000 Catholics in the Chicago area, asking  them to facilitate a dialogue, is mailed to RHC and published in the Chicago Tribune.

Download Open Letter to Resurrection Health Care

January 2006
Over 5000 Catholics in the Chicago area sign letters addressed to Francis Cardinal George, asking His Eminence to facilitate dialogue

March 17th, 2006.
National Catholic Reporter publishes article about the effort of employees to organize.

Download article