Local Workers Hold Vigils at WMCHealth Hospitals

POUGHKEEPSIE – Frontline workers at three WMCHealth hospitals gathered Friday evening for coordinated candlelight vigils to demand safe staffing, protections against workplace violence, and retirement benefits that match other hospitals across the Hudson Valley and lower New York.

Workers at MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie, Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, and Bon Secours Community Hospital in Port Jervis stood together with community supporters, holding candles and empty sets of scrubs representing the coworkers they say have left because of unsafe working conditions, burnout, and poor compensation.

Nurses, patient care techs, and other frontline workers shared personal stories of workplace violence, chronic short staffing, and the toll they have taken on workers and patients.

“We don’t have enough staff on the units. People have left, and positions were not filled. People call out and there is no one to fill in. And nurses and other frontline caregivers must fill the gaps. We’re seeing more violence. We’re missing break,” said Blanche Carlton, a 21-year RN in the Emergency Department at Bon Secours Community Hospital.

Staffing shortages are creating dangerous conditions across the WMCHealth network, workers report, particularly at MidHudson Regional Hospital where multiple violent incidents have occurred in recent weeks, including assaults on nurses and other frontline staff.

“Workplace violence has become a near daily reality for us. This isn’t normal, and it’s not acceptable. It’s a recipe for chaos, burnout, and injury. No nurse should go to work fearing they’ll be attacked,” said Tracey Arrick, an ER charge nurse at MidHudson Regional Hospital.

At MidHudson Regional Hospital, technical employees continue their fight for a fair first contract with WMCHealth. Workers are seeking wages, health insurance, and retirement benefits that match those at neighboring hospitals. Nurses and other frontline caregivers at MidHudson Regional, Good Samaritan, and Bon Secours continue pushing for inclusion in a pension plan already available to thousands of healthcare workers across the region.

Workers say WMCHealth’s wages and benefits lag behind those offered at comparable hospitals, contributing to the recruitment and retention crisis that ultimately harms patient care.

The vigils come as contract negotiations continue across lower New York’s hospital industry, where wages, staffing, healthcare, and retirement security remain key issues for tens of thousands of healthcare workers.

WMCHealth operates ten hospitals and dozens of outpatient and specialty facilities across the Hudson Valley and lower New York. The nonprofit healthcare system reported nearly $3 billion in operating revenue in 2024.