Hundreds of Union Members to Rally to Save Health Care in Brooklyn

ALBANY, NY (03/07/2012)(readMedia)-- Hundreds of union members from the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF), the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and United University Professions (UUP) will rally in Brooklyn Thursday, March 8, to protest plans to close Kingsboro Psychiatric Center, and beds at SUNY Downstate University Hospital, and shift Downstate's inpatient operations to the Long Island College Hospital campus.

The protestors will gather in front of Downstate University Hospital at 450 Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn, and march to Kingsboro Psychiatric Center, 681 Clarkson Ave. at 11:30 a.m., Thursday. March 8, 2012.

Brooklyn is the single-highest user of mental health services in the state, and Downstate University Hospital provides patient care, education, and research and community services to nearly 5 million people.

PEF represents approximately 54,000 professional, scientific and technical employees of New York State and other public and private employees. The union has 254 members at Kingsboro PC and 671 at Downstate University Hospital. For more information, call the PEF Public Relations Department at 1-800-342-4306 ext. 277.