Protesters rally outside Ascension CEO's home in effort to restore labor & delivery services

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Wednesday night several dozen protesters braved the elements to urge Ascension Wisconsin to re-open labor and delivery services at St. Francis Hospital.

Ascension shut down those services just before Christmas, creating a void on Milwaukee's south side.

The nurses, healthcare workers and patients rallied not at the hospital, but in front of Ascension CEO Bernie Sherry's home. Their goal was to crank up the pressure and restore the services they say are now sorely lacking on the south side.

The crowd shouted out chants of "Stand up, fight back! Stand up, fight back! Stand up, fight back! Stand up, fight back!"

For nearly two weeks now, expectant families have been unable to access labor and delivery services on Milwaukee's south side.

Community member Alan Chavoya told the crowd, "This impacts the south side of Milwaukee, which is primarily Hispanic, Latino and immigrant populations."

Rally organizers say Ascension's shuttering of the services was a cruel Christmas gift to the community, and they wanted CEO Bernie Sherry to know how they felt.

Connie Smith is the president of the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals. She shouted in the direction of Sherry's building, "Bernie, you left a hole in our hearts and a community of women unsafe."

In addition to at least 20 union members losing their jobs, protesters say it will further deepen health inequities in the community.

Milwaukee District 8 Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa read an email from a constituent who had recently gone to St. Francis. She relayed, "It was like a ghost town in there, it really felt like I wasn't supposed to be there."

Zamarripa added, "To me, this simple, short email exemplifies the divestment these nurses have been trying to let you know about."

Ascension condemned the protesters for meeting outside one of Sherry's homes, claiming it could lead to harassment or stalking (we're not showing the home or any identifying information to maintain privacy).

But protesters defended their right to protest on public property and wanted Sherry to hear their message loud and clear.

Ascension declined interview requests but sent a lengthy statement that says they were forced to shut down labor and delivery services "due to a combination of the loss of our obstetrical providers and low birthing volumes".

Ascension's labor and delivery services have now been consolidated to Columbia St. Mary's, which is 8.4 miles away, and St. Joseph Hospital, which is 10.6 miles away. That could create barriers to critical care on the south side.

Tracy Schwerdtfeger, the RN Bargaining Unit President at St. Francis, said at the protest, "They haven't been willing to invest in the community, but that's why we're out here. To say that they need to, they need to invest back into our labor and delivery unit."

The protesters spoke and marched for about an hour. They plan to meet again in two weeks.

There was no indication Ascension CEO Bernie Sherry was home while protesters were outside.