U Of C Hospital Workers Say They Deserve Hazard Pay Amid Coronavirus Crisis

CHICAGO (CBS) -- They are not doctors or nurses, but other hospital workers' jobs are still on the frontlines – every day, they are transporting sick patients, and cleaning rooms and waste.

And as CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported Wednesday night, they say they deserve hazard pay.

Many of those calling for hazard pay are workers at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Their argument is simple – don't just say you appreciate us, show us the money.

Visitors cannot come inside any hospital these days. Yet, the men and women who walk through the hospital doors understand the risks of coming to work.

"Everyone is scared," said Ta'Aqau Luster. "We're all scared, definitely."

Luster works as a nursing support assistant at the U of C. After 10 years in the field, the job is taking a toll and weighing on her family's safety – including her pregnant daughter.

"That's been the biggest fear for me - to infect anyone in my family, my elderly parents, anybody," she said.

That is why she supports her union's push for the U of C to implement hazard pay.

"It's so easy to sit in the office and say no, no hazard pay," she said. "But come to the units and go in and out of these rooms. I am in and out these rooms about 20 plus times an hour."

At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, staff is getting hazard pay. But workers still protested Wednesday because they claim hazard isn't equal among the nurses and doctors.

"You have transporters, you've got housekeepers, you've got foodservice workers - and everyone plays a part in what we do," said Evelena Hunt.

Hunt transports patients at the U of C and believes hazard pay would boost morale.

"Show your employees that you care," she said.

Rush University Medical Center offers hazard pay and some nursing homes are too. But union reps said the U. of C. refuses.

"Basically, they said no to us; that they have something else to do with their money," said union rep Robin Sullivan of Teamsters Local 743.

On Wednesday night, the U of C said in part that it guarantees full wages and benefits to anyone who gets sick with the virus:

"As a not-for-profit hospital, the University of Chicago Medicine has committed all of its resources to expanding care for COVID-19 patients to the community and beyond and keeping all employees safe during this pandemic.

"We have guaranteed full wages and benefits to any staff member who becomes sick with COVID-19 regardless of where they may have gotten the virus, who is off work awaiting COVID-19 test results, or who is at home with no work because we have cut back non-essential services. We have guaranteed wages and benefits for everyone, including employees in labor unions whose contracts are not up for renegotiation. We are also paying all copays and deductibles for staff members and their family members who seek care for COVID-19 under our staff medical plans. Even before creating this new comprehensive package of pandemic wage and benefit protections, we have offered our staff one of the best wage and benefit packages in the Midwest, and that has not changed.

"The medical center is also focused on limiting risk to staff through rigorous infection control guidelines. We require all staff to wear a mask at all times on our campus even if they do not work with COVID-19 patients, conduct daily wellness checks at the start of each day, and continue to provide advanced respirators and other PPE to those caring for patients suspected of having or confirmed with having COVID-19."

"I think it's just the fact of showing staff that you will give them something; that you're willing to acknowledge everything that they're doing," Luster said.

The union added that it is disappointing the U of C hospital won't budge on the hazard pay.