Nurses Picket

Nurses in Norwalk are picketing because they are working without a contract. The nurses' contract ended at the end of September. They are also protesting the diminishing nursing staff at the Norwalk Hospital and cuts in wages and benefits. Over the past two years, the hospital has lost 90 full-time nurses. Nurses say that as the staff decreases, the quality of care diminishes. The hospital announced in September that positions for nursing assistants and practical nurses will not be used at the hospital and they will use registered nurses paired up with technicians. The hospital would not comment on the job changes or nurse salaries.