For 18 years, the American Red Cross has been under a federal consent decree to improve its blood safety practices. Since 2003, the Food and Drug Administration has fined Red Cross $37 million for compliance violations, and $16 million in fines were issued in 2010.

FDA reports indicate that Red Cross compliance problems are frequently linked to issues such as staffing, training, and workloads. For years, Red Cross workers have been saying that they believe safety errors on the job are linked to working conditions, including understaffing, inadequate training, and workload.

Red Cross has also violated federal labor laws. National Labor Relations Board rulings were recently issued against Red Cross in Michigan and Connecticut, and hearings on violations are underway in New York and Pennsylvania.

Tell Gail McGovern that the American Red Cross must invest in its workforce to improve blood safety compliance and stop violations of workers’ rights.