Jackson Health System union questions consultant contract

Martha Baker, president of Local 1991 of the Service Employees International Union, told Jackson Health System and Miami-Dade County leaders that she was concerned the new PricewaterhouseCoopers contract claims PwC will produce $69 million in benefits in fiscal 2010, while Jackson's own internal analysis has put the figure at $39 million. Referring to the unions' taking a 5% pay cut, Baker said, "We're going to kick in our hard-earned millions and you're giving it away like it's pennies," meaning the $10 million, two-year consultant contract the Trust executive committee approved. Jackson representatives said the PwC work was necessary for the hospital to dig itself out of a financial hole that caused a loss of $244 million last year, the Miami Herald reports.