As Pittsburgh’s dominant health system and largest employer, UPMC is a key community asset that plays a vital role in our region’s economy. The people of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County share a common stake in UPMC’s growth and success.
With success comes a serious set of responsibilities to the members of our community – healthcare consumers, taxpayers, and employees. As our region’s largest tax-exempt charity, UPMC must put the strength and health of our community first.
Over the last decade we have watched while UPMC executives have built a regional and even global corporate empire, marked by excessive executive compensation; closing down hospitals in underserved neighborhoods and opening them in affluent suburbs and foreign countries; attempting to deny access to millions of patients who are Highmark subscribers; failing to pay their fair share to support vital public services like schools, transit, and public health infrastructure; and harassing employees who are exercising their right to form a union to advocate for quality, middle class jobs for our community.
That’s why thousands of people from across our region are getting together to call on UPMC to live up to its responsibilities. We’re testifying at public hearings, engaging elected officials, canvassing in our neighborhoods and speaking out to the press to share our vision.
Let’s rebuild our neighborhoods and our middle class around a charity that acts like one, by guaranteeing equal access to our community’s healthcare institutions, by paying its fair share to support public services, by respecting employees’ rights and supporting good, middle class jobs for our community, byy promoting our community’s health. Andby putting our neighborhoods ahead of profits.
Let’s make it our UPMC.