Union: Latinos neglected at NYU Medical Center

The leader of a hospital workers' union has accused NYU Hospitals Center of discriminating against Latinos by not having enough doctors on staff who speak Spanish and accept Medicaid.  Dennis Rivera, the powerful head of Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union, issued a report last Thursday accusing the Hospitals Center of providing "the worst access to care to Latinos and Medicaid patients among its peers."  University officials accused Rivera of launching a smear campaign against the Hospitals Center in the wake of a dispute over 400 clerical workers who voted against joining the union in 2002.  Robert Glickman, CEO of NYU Hospitals Center and dean of the School of Medicine, issued an open letter to Rivera refuting the claims of the report and charging him with heavy-handed tactics intended to hurt the Hospitals Center 's reputation.  Rep. Jose Serrano, D-Bronx, has joined an array of New York politicians in demanding that NYU change its ways. [more ]