NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC.
"The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt
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NASSAU COUNTY CIVIC ASSOCIATION, INC. "The government is us, we are the government, you and I." Teddy Roosevelt |
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February 10, 2005
Benefits for Hospital Workers
The other side of the debate
This month, the Long Island Press published an article supporting spousal benefits for homosexual couples employed by the Nassau County University Medical Center. While the paper clearly has a first amendment right to express its opinion, the article was clearly unbalanced. Whether reading the Long Island Press, Newsday or watching Channel 12 News, there was no mention of an opposing view. What about the public policy controversy or the specific fiscal impact of providing these benefits?
When Ms. D’Amico, President of the local CSEA states that its her civic duty to step up to the table and negotiate spousal benefits for the good of NCMC employees, its perplexing how these benefits can even be discussed when hundreds of hospital employees have been terminated due to fiscal cut backs. What about their benefits? If there isn’t an underlying political agenda here, then there is certainly cause for a question in ethics.
All hospital employees and their immediate family members are entitled to medical benefits under the law. The issue in controversy is the definition of their relationship. Under the New York State Domestic Relations Law, marriage is defined as the relationship between a man and a woman. While this issue may be negotiated, it’s just another example of the incremental approach by those who want to force the tenants of homosexual marriage upon society. It’s just a question of semantics.
The Long Island Press article cited the Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual rights organization who support spousal benefits for homosexual employees. The HRC noted that 30% of Fortune 500 companies offer such benefits. The converse would indicate that over 70% do not. Furthermore, small businesses not Fortune 500 companies make up the majority of U.S. businesses, most of whom do not offer such benefits. Why would the hospital stray from a fiscally sound policy followed by most top performing companies and business owners? How can the union in good faith negotiate unwarranted benefits when the hospital remains in fiscal trouble? What about tax relief for county taxpayers who are guaranteeing over two hundred million in hospital bonds?
As cited in the article, most hospital employees provide valuable services to Nassau residents, however they’re not volunteers. Like most Americans, they are paid for their services and freely choose their profession. While Nassau residents value their public employees, the definition of marriage and fiscal responsibility are equally important.