Do you think there are too many people at Jackson doing the job that fewer could do?

Michelle McClary, 44
Miami, unemployed

No, it wouldn’t be the same kind of care. I was at Jackson a few months ago and the service was excellent at the time. Jackson is going to need more employees to offer that kind of quality care.

Verna Dean, 58
Miami, unemployed

No, I don’t think the care will be same after the layoffs. I mean, it was hard enough to provide good service with the people they had. If they fire all of those people, somebody’s going to go without receiving any health care. And Jackson is the place that Black people depend on for care.

Kenneth Laird, 57
Arcola Lakes, unemployed

No. They were clearly slacking off before they decided to lay those people off. I was in Jackson when my left ankle was nearly ripped off. They got it back on but the quality of care was totally different than when I had gone to Mt. Sinai. So, I don’t think the care will be the same at Jackson. It won’t even be close.

Ardenia Montgomery, 50
Miami, retired nurse

I don’t think the care will be the same because I used to work in nursing. All of those workers are needed to offer the proper amount of employees and caretakers for the patients.

Jackie Offord, 58
Allapattah, mason

Yes, I think they can manage without those employees. The hospital has a plan; they know what they’re doing. But the people they lay off will struggle. The workers were probably working at Jackson for years and it will probably take them awhile to find more work. Jobs are so hard to come by right now.

James Marshall, 72
Miami, retired bus driver