REPORT OF THE LABOR SUBCOMMITTEE

 

June 11, 2007

 

The Honorable,

The Board of Commissioners of Cook County

 

ATTENDANCE

 

Present:

Chairman Murphy, Vice Chairman Moreno, Commissioners Beavers, Butler, Gorman and Sims (6)

 

Absent:

Commissioner Maldonado (1)

 

Also Present:

Ms. Sylvia Edwards – Acting Chief Operating Officer, Oak Forest Hospital; John J. Daley – Associate Administrator, Support Services Division, Oak Forest Hospital

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

        Your Labor Subcommittee of the Board of Commissioners of Cook County met pursuant to notice on Monday, June 11, 2007 at the hour of 10:00 A.M. in the Board Room, Room 569, County Building, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois.

 

        Your Subcommittee has considered the following items and, upon adoption of this report, the recommendations are as follows:

 

287206

OAK FOREST HOSPITAL OF COOK COUNTY, by Sylvia Edwards, Acting Chief Operating Officer, transmitting a Communication:

 

requesting authorization for the Purchasing Agent to enter into a contract with CROTHALL HEALTHCARE, INC., Wayne, Pennsylvania, for environmental services.

 

Reason:      After evaluating their Request for Proposal (RFP), Crothall Healthcare, Inc. was chosen based on their fifteen (15) years of experience in the environmental services field.  Additionally, Crothall Healthcare, Inc. has extensive knowledge of infection control and all regulatory guidelines required to operate a hospital environmental services program.

 

Estimated Fiscal Impact:  $9,896,077.00 (Year 1:  $3,184,998.00; Year 2:  $3,303,560.00; and Year 3:  $3,407,519.00).  Contract period:  July 7, 2007 through July 6, 2010.  (898-235 Account).  Requisition No. 78980349.

 

Approval of this item would commit Fiscal Year 2007 and future year funds.

 

*Referred to the Labor Subcommittee on June 5, 2007.

 

Chairman Murphy delivered opening remarks, indicating that this meeting is for discussion purposes only.

 

Ms. Sylvia Edwards, Acting Chief Operating Officer, Oak Forest Hospital, gave an overview of “environmental services.”

 

Commissioner Gorman inquired as to who reviewed the RFP and performed due diligence.

 

John J. Daley, Associate Administrator, Support Services Division, Oak Forest Hospital, replied that the evaluation team included Dr. Patricia Demarais, Chief of Infection Control, nursing representation and himself.

 

Commissioner Gorman inquired how many RFPs were submitted.

 

Mr. Daley replied that although they contacted three other companies no other RFPs were submitted.

 

Commissioner Gorman inquired what savings would be entailed with the adoption of this Item.

 

Mr. Daley replied $4.5 million.

 

Commissioner Gorman inquired as to how many layoffs would occur under this RFP.

 

Mr. Daley replied that he is unclear as to a specific number.  He noted that Oak Forest Hospital employees would be considered for hiring by Crothall Healthcare, Inc.

 

Chairman Murphy made the following explanatory remarks:  The savings to the County would be approximately $1.5 million annually.  96 employees would be laid off.  Crothall would consider hiring those who were laid off.  However, they would pay approximately $4 per hour less than Oak Forest currently pays for the same positions.  Crothall would offer a benefits package, however that benefit package would be more costly to the employees than the benefit package Oak Forest Hospital currently provides, and might not include a pension.  It is her understanding that the Oak Forest employees concerned are not very interested in working for Crothall.

 

Chairman Murphy inquired how many employees would be cut by Crothall.

 

Mr. Daley replied that Crothall contends that it could accomplish the work with between 58-62 employees.

 

Commissioner Moreno stated:  He is not convinced that the cost savings would be as extensive as that which Crothall contends it would be.  He is against the idea of 96 employees losing their jobs.  Instead, the County could work with the labor unions to “trim fat” and relocate some of the workers.  He suggested that perhaps not enough study has gone into this issue to justify 96 layoffs.

 

Commissioner Butler suggested that the Committee should focus on methods of raising $1.5 million annually so that the Oak Forest Hospital workers do not have to be laid off.

 

Commissioner Moreno stated that savings soon should accrue to the County as a result of the Board’s decision to move long-term care patients out of Oak Forest Hospital and into the Boys Home facility.  He further stated that as a result of the moving of these patients, all 96 employees may no longer be needed.

 

Vice Chairman Moreno moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Butler.  The motion carried and the meeting was adjourned.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Labor Subcommittee

 

 

 

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Joan Patricia Murphy, Chairman

 

Attest:

 

 

 

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Matthew B. DeLeon, Secretary