Union, Catholic health system differ on wages for entry-level workers

Published: 2007-08-08

CHICAGO (CNS) -- Responding to charges from a local union that Resurrection Health Care underpays its support staff and overpays its top executives, a spokesman for the Catholic health system said its wages for entry-level workers "are comparable to, if not better than, most other area health care organizations." Brian Crawford, senior director for system public relations, said in an Aug. 6 statement that Resurrection Health Care "recognizes that paying fair wages is a broader social issue for our entire country and we are committed to continue to do our part to advance workplace justice and to respect the dignity of work." Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees released a 13-page report titled "Coming Up Short: Resurrection Health Care's Distorted Pay Priorities" at an Aug. 6 news conference in Chicago. The report says that Resurrection support staff -- housekeepers, food service workers and laundry workers -- "rarely earn enough to support a family in Chicago," while hospital CEOs and other top executives "receive compensation far beyond national norms for administrators in those positions."

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .