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| Nurses sue to prevent privatization of prison health |
| By tallahassee.com - Bill Cotterell |
| Published: 01/27/2012 |
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The union representing health-care professionals in Florida's prison system is suing the state to prevent privatization of their jobs — using the same legal tactics that succeeded for thousands of correctional officers who went to court to get at least a reprieve from their own firing. "We believe that any effort to turn thousands of state employee jobs over to private companies needs to be vetted by the public, with input from those workers," Jeanie Demshar, director of labor relations for the Florida Nurses Association, said Thursday. The FNA represents about 1,000 nurses, nurse practitioners, dieticians, pharmacists, psychologists and other health-care professionals in several state agencies. As directed by language in the budget passed last year, the Department of Corrections has sought bids from private companies to provide medical services statewide in the prisons. The budget also directed the department last year to seek bids on operation of 29 prison facilities in 18 counties. The Florida Police Benevolent Association, which then represented about 4,000 prison officers whose jobs were at stake, sued to prevent that privatization. Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford ruled that the Legislature could not make substantial changes in public policy through budget proviso language. Read More. |
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