HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The merger between the Huntsville Hospital Health System and Crestwood Hospital is officially complete, but the deal is already drawing pushback from labor groups concerned about what it could mean for nursing staff compensation.
The North Alabama Area Labor Council and United Women of Color released a report this week showing Huntsville Hospital ranks in the bottom 3% nationally for hourly nurse pay — a finding labor leaders say demands immediate attention now that the city’s two major hospital systems are under one roof.
“We already know that Huntsville Hospital has historically paid [its] staff less than Crestwood, especially nursing staff,” said Whitney Washington with the North Alabama Area Labor Council. “So from a staffing point of view, just from the protections of the workers there, that is an immediate concern of ours.”…