The job future for some Easton (Pa.) Hospital workers remains uncertain as Dallas-based Steward Health Care prepares to transfer hospital ownership to St. Luke's University Health Network, according to The Express-Times.
Steward will transfer ownership of Easton Hospital to St. Luke's on July 1, saving the hospital from closure.
But some workers are expected to lose their jobs amid the ownership change, according to The Express-Times.
In response, the two unions that represent workers at Easton Hospital — SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and United Independent Union Local No. 2 — are scheduled to rally June 18 "to decry the loss of jobs and services" at Easton.
St. Luke's, in a statement provided to Becker's Hospital Review, said St. Luke's is communicating with the unions and "is preserving hundreds of jobs vital to the Easton economy at a time when other health systems, strained by COVID-19, are announcing layoffs."
Easton Hospital staffing will be a mix of current Easton Hospital and St. Luke's employees, St. Luke's said, and some St. Luke's employees will transfer to Easton Hospital.
"Among the significant changes that will take place, which will require the expertise of current St. Luke’s employees, will be a transition to the Epic electronic medical record system," according to the St. Luke's statement. "There are also information technology and human resources systems, as well as various protocols, that will be new and require current St. Luke's employees' expertise. Future staffing levels will be based on patient volumes, which have declined sharply since the onset of COVID-19."
Meanwhile, St. Luke's said it is encouraging all Easton employees to apply for work at St. Luke's, which has job openings at 11 hospitals and more than 300 other facilities.
According to St. Luke's recruitment director, Tracy M. Resetar, 70 Easton employees already have job offers from St. Luke's, and another 180 Easton employees have submitted applications that are under review.
"St. Luke's will honor service time attained at Easton Hospital for benefits and time-off accruals for those who are hired and start employment with the network by Oct. 1," Ms. Resetar said.
Steward declined to comment for this Becker's Hospital Review story.
Easton Hospital has 375 employees.
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