This letter to the editor was originally published in the Joliet Herald-News.

I have been following the Joliet AMITA/nurses battle. I find it disgusting how AMITA is treating the nurses. Those are people who have been exposing themselves to the dangers of COVID-19 and innumerable other diseases. From what I have read, the nurses’ demands seem reasonable: Put enough staff on line to provide decent care.

On its homepage, AMITA has a mission/values statement that lists five precepts: God honoring, justice, compassion, integrity and dignity.

Who are they showing justice, compassion and dignity to?

As for integrity, it says it does the right thing for the right reason. Is hiring outside agency nurses at an exorbitant rate doing the right thing for the right reason? Who is it right for? Seems it is right only for AMITA, not patients or medical staff.

God honoring? AMITA’s mission/values statement says: “As an institution, we show respect for God by living justly and in right relationship with God, self, others and creation. As individuals, we honor our own values, traditions, beliefs and vocation by striving for excellence and building relationships.”

Is hiring higher-paid, outside agency nurses living just and in a right relationship with God, self and others? Not the way I understand those words.

My health insurance directs that I use AMITA for certain services. I am going to ask them permission to seek services with another health organization because of the abusive way AMITA is acting towards its staff.

Don De Blasio
Bolingbrook