■ A taco and tamale fest in the Island PAGE 8
FREE Vol. 37 No. 31
August 2, 2023 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
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Loretto workers demand better wages and staffing at the picket line outside Loretto Hospital Monday morning, where community members and elected officials showed their support.
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State rep. pushes overdose prevention sites for Chicago Medical experts, advocates and community outreach orgs support. ‘It will save lives’ By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff reporter
tract negotiations over the last 10 days failed according to the union. As previously reported, union representatives and workers delivered a 10-day strike notice on July 19 as they demanded better wages, hours and staff levels.
A dozen medical experts, outreach workers and advocates joined State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (8th) in his push to open a pilot overdose prevention site in Chicago. Standing at the corner of W. Van Buren Street and S. Pulaski Road, one of many West Side areas with high overdose rates, Ford called for the public and lawmakers to support a bill that would allow the creation of overdose prevention sites in Chicago. “Overdose prevention sites are evidence-based healthcare where people can use pre-obtained drugs,” Ford said. “If an individual overdoses, someone will save their life and connect them to a number of local resources.” The site could serve not only as a healthcare center, but as a center that provides wraparound services to people who use drugs, simultaneously addressing many of the barriers that people with substance use disorders face. “The message that often gets lost in the conversation is that these sites provide essential ser-
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Loretto workers go on strike, ‘a crisis of Loretto’s making’ FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ
200 workers on strike after failed negotiations between management and union reps
By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff Reporter
The picket line assembled bright and early on Monday outside Loretto Hospital, 645 S. Central Ave. Around 50 healthcare workers stood behind union leader Greg Kelley to go on strike, after con-
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