A nurses union is turning the spotlight on a health care executive who the union says is mainly responsible for closing a labor and delivery unit for babies at Milwaukee's Ascension St. Francis Hospital.
About 50 members of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals rallied Wednesday night on a sidewalk on Milwaukee's east side, outside what they said was one of the homes of Ascension Wisconsin executive Bernie Sherry.
Union president Connie Smith had this message: "Bernie Sherry, you had your hands in this. What bonus are you getting for closing our labor and delivery unit December 23rd? What bonus are you getting for termination of nurses and technical workers this Saturday? What bonus are you getting for the 30 years that our workers stood there and delivered women and infants on the south side of Milwaukee?"
Milwaukee Common Council member JoCasta Zamarripa joined the rally, she said, in part to highlight how Ascension is closing a labor and delivery unit near fast-growing Latino and Asian communities.
"Why then, with such young families who are having babies hand over fist, would you decide to close the labor and delivery unit where babies are born?" Zamarripa asked.
Ascension says it's no longer able to provide birthing services at St. Francis Hospital due to low birthing volumes there and a retirement and a departure of two physicians. The health care firm says babies will still be delivered at other Ascension hospitals, including Columbia Saint Mary's on the east side.
In an unusual move, Ascension warned the news media about covering Wednesday night's protest outside the home address of a private citizen, saying promotion and amplification of the event is considered doxxing, defined as revealing someone's personal information online, and can violate the law if it leads to harassment, intimidation, stalking or jeopardizes the individual's personal safety and well-being.
At least five media outlets covered the demonstration.
The publication Biz Times Milwaukee reported last fall that Bernie Sherry came to Ascension Wisconsin in 2016 to lead the integration of four health systems that he believes communication is important during a period of change and that as a leader of a Catholic health care system, he believes it's important to start every meeting with a reflection or prayer.
The nurses union says more gatherings are planned to keep the heat on Ascension.
