by : Myrna Aquitania In the recent “Meet and Greet Leland Yee” event held at the Solarium of the Lafayette Hotel in Long Beach last Saturday, a select group of Fil-Ams listened to Senator Leland Yee’s vision for California as he announced his bid for the post of Secretary of State in the upcoming 2014 election. For […]
By Hiyasmin QuijanoINQUIRER.net US Bureau 6:35 am | Friday, June 28th, 2013 Workers at La Casa Mental Health Rehabilitation Center in Long Beach, California, are demanding better protection from assaults by patients. PHOTO BY HIYASMIN QUIJANO LONG BEACH, California—Nearly 200 workers of La Casa Mental Health Rehabilitation Center in North Long Beach, including several Filipinos, went on strike, demanding workplace safety and better pay. Striking employees want management to implement several safety measures, including hiring an onsite security guard and a Plexiglas barrier around the nursing station. They are members of the Service Employers’ International Union–United Healthcare Workers West. Workers allege that patient assaults on them have led to more than 200 calls to the police from the facility in a three-year period. According to the union, these consisted of 70 assault, 45 follow-ups, 24 suicidal, 44 medical, 3 rape, 4 illegal drugs and 31 escape calls to the Long Beach Police Department. “We want improvements in the safety of the patient and also the staff,” states Neilanie Bensana, a Filipina licensed vocational nurse who says she has been assaulted by a female client a few times. In recovery “Many admitted to the facility are not ready for the recovery phase of their mental illness,” Bensana adds, “which leads to client-to-client assault, patient-to-patient assault, visitor assault, escaping from the facility and running around the community.” She says management should reinforce the gates, put a clear barrier around the nursing station “so that patients don’t throw objects at us” and give Read More …