Layoffs at Indiana Veterans Home

Nearly three dozen people have been laid off at the Indiana Veterans Home.

Superintendent Tony Stewart said 31 people from the housekeeping department will be laid off on August 13.  He said a private housekeeping company, Nishida Services, will take over the duties.

Steward said it's a necessary move, but workers disagree.

An Indiana Veterans Home housekeeper who didn't want to be identified asked to share her story. She said she's certain she is headed for one place: the unemployment line.

"That doesn't make sense," she said. "You're working for the state, making a pay check, but they want you to file for unemployment, which the states pays for you not to do anything."

Stewart said in a phone interview the reason for the layoffs is not to make the home more cost efficient. He said the facility was not cleaned properly because not enough house keepers reported to work.  The housekeeper News Channel 18 spoke with said the housekeeping department was already short staffed when several people became ill.

"I'm speechless to be honest with you," she said. "There was a bit of an attendance problem, but there are people who had to have surgeries done."

She believes all the housekeepers stepped in to cover. Stewart said it was a tough decision to make to hire Nishida Services, but the residents' welfare is the priority. Laid off housekeepers can apply for other jobs at the Veterans Home or with Nishida Services. Yet, one housekeeper worried compensation with the new cleaning company won't be the same, and was concerned about possible reduced or eliminated benefits.

"I need benefits," she said.

For her, the layoffs mean an uncertain future.

"Probably not far from foreclosure," she said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Probably lose a vehicle.  I count a lot on my wage."

But it's a loss of more than just money.

"I love my job," she said. "The residents out there are like family."

Housekeeping was her way of serving the veterans who served the country.

Governor Mitch Daniels said he regrets anytime anyone is laid off anywhere.

"The worst thing we can do is fail to make some of these difficult decisions. Then, you wind up like California and Illinois and all these other places with terrible service cutbacks and higher taxes.  We've avoided that in Indiana.  I think it's important that we do," said Daniels. 

Superintendent Stewart said two of the 31 people laid off were already scheduled to retire.