01.30.08
A nightmare on Long Island
Right: Juliet Anilao (l) and Claudine Gamiao, two of the nurses
The New York Times reports on 10 Filipino nurses on Long Island who resigned en masse after allegedly getting a raw deal from their employers — and who are now under indictment for it, facing a year in jail and revocation of their nursing licenses.
The nurses say they were stiffed out of the high wages they were promised before they came to the U.S., and that they worked in terrible conditions. The county D.A. says the nurses endangered patients by walking off the job on such short notice.
The Times reports that Filipinos here and in the P.I. are rallying in support of the nurses, joined by the American Nurses Association, which said in a statement that “the real patient endangerment lies in the deplorable conditions that led the nurses to leave.”
One of the nurses, Juliet Anilao, is steadfast about the decision she and the others made. As she puts it, “I wasn’t raised by my parents to bow down and take all those things just for the money.”
The trial looks like it will begin in March.
filipinopalomino said,
January 30, 2008 at 3:42 am
[James O. Druker, a lawyer for the nurses, argues that the case should never have been brought. Mr. Vinluan, he said, was “indicted for giving the nurses legally correct advice” and his clients “were indicted for following his advice.”]
If this case results in a conviction, it will send the message that such corporations can mistreat Filipino employees AND GET AWAY WITH IT! Is that what we want?
If there were an Asian mob that asserted its influence in matters like this, the racist conspirators would never have dared to bring a case against these Filipino nurses.
If there were such a mob, here is a list of the racist conspirators whose fingers would be in jeopardy:
Howard Fensterman - SentosaCare lawyer
Benjamin Landa of Brooklyn - owner/operator
Bent Philipson of Monsey, N.Y. - owner/operator
Susan O’Connor - Avalon administrator/witness
Thomas J. Spota - Suffolk district attorney.
Charles Schumer - Chairman of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which received $75,000 from SentosaCare associates