State Mental Health Workers Demand a Meeting With DHHS Officials to Address Chronic Understaffing, Safety Issues, and Increased Difficulties Amid Major Mental Health Crisis

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The N.C. Public Service Workers Union, which represents state employees who work for the NC Department of Health and Human Services, held a press conference on November 20 and delivered a letter demanding a meeting with DHHS management regarding chronic understaffing, high turnover, workplace safety concerns, and low wages. UE150 has sent several communications to DHHS requesting a meeting over the last six months, receiving no response. The press conference was held at DHHS headquarters in Raleigh.

“We are here today because DHHS employees are tired of being dismissed, devalued, and ignored,” stated healthcare technician Charles Owens, Vice President of the UE150 Union at Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro. Owens continued, “We endure physical, mental, and verbal abuse the likes of which a person outside this field could not imagine. Then we come right back the next day to continue delivering the best treatment and care this state can offer.”

“It is a shame that they don’t care about their worker or even the individuals we serve,” stated Peggy Briggins, developmental technician and President of UE150 chapter at Caswell Center in Kinston. Briggins continued, “We stood with them from the beginning, through the pandemic and we are still standing with them. They have gotten what they want and thrown us away. They don’t fight for us. We are still paid the lowest wages.”

UE150 union members are employed at the 13 state-operated health facilities, which include the state psychiatric hospitals, neuro-medical treatment centers, alcohol and drug treatment centers, and facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. NC patients and families continue to desperately need the quality care that only these facilities can provide. Multiple attempts to contact DSOHF Director Karen Burkes, Nicki Ashmont, and others have resulted only in a failure to reply, a failure to carry out the basic duties of their positions.

UE150 demands collective bargaining rights for public-sector workers, a minimum wage of $25 an hour, improved physical safety on the job, and an end to the management culture of fear and retaliation.

“If the crisis of unsustainably high nursing staff vacancy rates continues to worsen, the DSOHF will be forced to keep closing beds, closing units, and eventually closing entire hospitals,” stated Rakesh Patel, medical doctor at Central Regional Hospital and President of the UE150 Butner Chapter. Patel continued, “Nurses (both RNs and LPNs), CNAs, dietary staff, and housekeeping staff are the backbone of every hospital. They are the essential employees. Even without a state budget, DHHS officials can take immediate action to address these concerns.”

This article was first published by UE 150.