Norwood Hospital employees furloughed after Sunday’s massive storm

NORWOOD, Mass. — Norwood Hospital employees have been furloughed after Sunday night’s massive storm.

The union says there aren’t enough jobs available in the Steward Health Care System.

Norwood Hospital was hit especially hard by severe weather over the weekend. Cars were flooded and inside the hospital, the damage is far beyond what anyone expected.

“It was something like a movie, it was like we were running away from water, when it burst open all the doors in the basement,” said Michael Ware.

On Sunday night, we spoke to employees from the hospital.

Now, the union 1199 SEIU representing the 829 health care workers says they are all out of a job and have been furloughed.

“It’s been a tragic situation for everyone involved,” said MaryEllen Leveille, vice president of Health Systems 1199 SEIU.

This devastating news goes on top of the already furloughed workers who got laid off during the pandemic.

“Food and nutrition workers, CNA’s, radiologist, lab personnel,” said Leveille.

The union says there aren’t 800 or so jobs available within the Steward Health Care facility.

“We have a union contract in place that allows people to bid by seniority,” said Leveille.

As engineers are inspecting the building, and seeing what needs to be done, officials say, there is a long road to recovery. Most of the mechanical operations in the basement area were heavily damaged, which can impact the hospital’s circulation, and powering the medical equipment.

“Everyone would love to see this hospital open in some fashion this summer. I don’t know if that is a realistic goal but if it reopened in the Fall then that is acceptable,” said Massachusetts State Rep. John Rogers.

“This team has been fighting through the COVID crisis,” said Leveille.

Leveille says they will have job fairs.

This news is just devastating to the employees at Norwood Hospital.

Some employees told Boston 25 that they are trying to digest this news, as they were already hurting financially.

I reached out to the nurse’s union, and they haven’t responded.

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