Erlanger nurses not getting their due
I am a registered nurse and have been employed at Erlanger since 1991. In that time, I have repeatedly seen bedside nurses passed over for cost-of-living raises, while management gets its salaries, bonuses and raises.
This trend seems to be continuing. No bedside nurse received the 2 percent raise promised last month. The memo read all "eligible employees." Who is more "eligible" than the nurses in the trenches?
The language explaining why no raises were given to bedside nurses states that nurses who received a raise in July 2014 or who will receive a raise in July 2015 were not eligible for the raise. However, only gave a small percentage of nurses were given a raise in July 2014, and I am told there are plans to limit the number of RN raises this July.
My colleagues and I, who have been loyal to Erlanger, have not received a raise in five years. Additionally, we have had our vacation and sick time and pensions frozen. I am disheartened by the attitude of management.
I appreciate the efforts of local lawmakers to rectify this situation and hope the attitude at the next board meeting will be appreciative of the many individuals that make Erlanger special.
Donna S. Smith
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Military needed for ISIS strategy
Enough is enough! When I heard about the burning alive of the young Jordanian pilot held captive by the band of useless scum who believe they are doing their bidding in the name of some holy prophet, I think they need to be taught a deadly lesson.
In my mind, we are letting politicians fight this war against terrorism. We all know that politicians will do almost anything to please anyone who will favor them with a vote or money for their next election.
Since when do these elected officials think they know how to defeat terrorists such as these? It's time for military leaders not only from the USA but from all our allies to hold a top-level summit with the leaders of each country and come up with a plan.
If it means putting "boots on the ground," so be it. If it means heavy artillery or heavy bombing runs, so be it. If something isn't done soon, we will all live to regret it.
I realize there may be collateral damage, but that is war and that's what this is.
Ed Hair
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Things don't go better with Kochs
I don't know the Koch brothers, but I know they don't speak for me or anyone I know. The Koch brothers funded "Americans for Prosperity" and stepped into the fray over Gov. Haslam's proposal to fund Tennessee's Medicaid expansion by tapping into federal funding.
What do the Koch brothers have at play in taking a position opposing the governor? Their involvement was an affront to Tennesseans in need of medical help. I know of no one who has asked for their help. Their interference is, in fact, quite dubious.
It seems, from all we hear, their main goal appears to be advancing their own interests by driving an agenda aimed at the enrichment of the top 1 percent. We need to stand up to the blatant economic bullying the family Koch stands for. We must not forget our elected government's responsibility is to be responsive to the entire community and especially those in dire straits.
We followed and supported Gov. Haslam's effort to address the significant concerns of the Tennesseans who remain uninsured. The Haslam plan may not be perfect, but it was a step in the right direction.
Irwin Ginsburg