MEDIA ADVISORY FOR:

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

For more information, contact:

Jamie Lucas, (720)621-3689, jlucas@wfnhp.org

Milwaukee, WI

Common Council to Pass Resolution to Restore Labor and Delivery at St. Francis & Preserve Healthcare Services in Milwaukee

Who: Milwaukee Common Council, Coalition to Save St Francis Hospital

What: Committee 

When: Tuesday, April 18 at 9 am (council meeting), press conference to immediately follow

Where: Committee meeting in Council Chamber, press conference in rotunda, City Hall

Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18, the Common Council will vote on a resolution calling on Ascension to: 1) restore L&D at St. Francis, 2) stop further closures of services, and 3) work with the community to preserve and improve healthcare in the city, particularly in economically-distressed areas. The resolution passed out of the Public Health and Safety Committee with unanimous support. 

The Council is expected to pass this resolution to restore services at St. Francis and preserve healthcare services for our City exactly five years to the day from when the community and elected officials fought back to restore services at St. Joe’s – and we won. It is shameful that Ascension needs to be reminded yet again by City leaders that they must do better by the people of Milwaukee. 

Since the closure of the L&D, the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, AFT Local 5000 has convened a broad community based coalition condemning Ascension Wisconsin’s cruel and heartless decision to close the only labor and delivery unit on the south side of Milwaukee. 

Member organizations of the coalition will be present at the committee hearing and will speak at the press conference afterwards, joined by other supporters of the resolution, including Council members. Organizations present will include WFNHP, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Voces de la Frontera, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, MICAH, and others. 

The coalition is committed to continue putting pressure on the City of Milwaukee and Ascension Wisconsin until the labor and delivery unit reopens, medical redlining ceases to exist, and health equity is not a goal, but a reality in our City. The resolution represents an important step in these efforts, yet additional action and investment is needed. 

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Wisconsin FNHP represents nurses & health professionals throughout the state of Wisconsin and is the local affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers healthcare division, which represents more than 130,000 nurses and health professionals in a variety of disciplines and settings.