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Make Safe Staffing a Pillar of Resilient Healthcare Systems and Communities
The IAM and other union partners are leading the fight for safe staffing in healthcare through organizing campaigns, bargaining, and policymaking. Fully-staffed and well-resourced healthcare facilities are essential for communities facing extreme weather and other climate related health impacts. From 2000 to 2017, 114 hospital evacuations occurred in the US from climate-related causes like hurricanes, wildfires, floods and storms. This accounted for nearly
three-quarters of all hospital evacuations.388 At the same time, governments and advocates are looking to healthcare facilities to protect communities in the face of climate change.389 The US Framework for Resilient Healthcare Settings includes critical elements of healthcare resilience, including community vulnerability assessments, building design, and essential clinical care service delivery. Unfortunately, it does not include provisions for adequate staffing.390
The IAM can develop campaign and advocacy messaging for safe staffing as a climate resilience strategy, establish partnerships with community groups working on community resilience, and work with other healthcare unions to secure safe staffing on federal guidance for climate resilient healthcare settings. Additionally, the IAM could use research into climate plans, carbon footprints, and environmental impacts to communities surrounding target healthcare employers as part of strategic campaigning.
Establishing safe staffing as a pillar of resilient healthcare systems is an essential environmental justice issue. Climate adaptation should not come at the expense of healthcare workers.
Resilient healthcare systems with safe staffing ensure that vulnerable community members receive quality care, even in times of crisis.
390 U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, “Building Health Care Sector Resilience.”