Management's holiday scheduling proposal

Section 8.5  Scheduling

A  nurse  shall  not  be  temporarily  reassigned  to  another  unit  on  their  scheduled

holiday,  unless  (s)he  volunteers  to  do  so.    When  making  schedules  that  contain

holiday track day(s), the manager will schedule nurses’ holiday work on the shift they

customarily work. 

Tell Management "NO! I don't want to be pulled or have my shift changed on a holiday!"

Bargaining works! Send Management back to the table with a "No" vote

Management’s BSN proposal February 6, 2014

Nurses hired after March 25, 2014 who have a diploma or an associates’ degree in

nursing will be required to be accepted into a BSN program within six (6) months of

the nurse’s hire date.  The nurse will be required to complete a BSN program within

three (3) years of his/her hire date.

Existing diploma and Associates-prepared nurses agree to work toward a BSN degree

to be completed by December 31, 2020.

Management’s BSN proposal March 20, 2014

Nurses hired after March 25, 2014 who have a diploma or an associates’ degree in

nursing will be required to be accepted into a BSN program within six (6) months of

the nurse’s hire date.  The nurse will be required to complete a BSN program within

three (3) years of his/her hire date.

Existing diploma and Associates-prepared nurses agree to work toward a BSN degree

to be completed by December 31, 2020.

The above illustrates that the Union bargaining team was able to make Management back down from their proposals right up the end.  And the Union has made Management agree to a number of improvements over the past six weeks.  If Management's "final" offer is rejected by the membership, they have a legal obligation to return to the bargaining table and continue bargaining in good faith.    There's more work to do; let's send them back to the bargaining table!

The contract expired; now what?

The contract expired at midnight last night. So, what has changed?  Did we lose our protections and benefits?  No. 

Under the National Labor Relations Act, management can make no changes to your wages, benefits, or working conditions even though the contract expired. The legal obligation to bargain with the union continues. If the membership rejects management's offer, both parties go back to the bargaining table. 

If your manager tells you anything different, ask her or him to put it in writing. Bet they won't!

Information sessions will held on Thursday, March 27, from 6am-9am, 11:30am-1:30pm, and 6pm-9pm in Training Room B.

Voting will take place on Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, from 2:00pm-11:30pm in Auditorium C. 

Membership to vote on Management's proposal; Union urges "No"

On Thursday, March 20, management gave the union a “final” offer, a common tactic to pressure unions to accept bad deals.  After digesting what was in the proposal over the weekend, the union has decided to present the offer to the membership for their consideration.  The bargaining team recommends that the membership reject St. Joe’s offer.  If the membership votes to reject the proposal, both parties have a legal obligation to return to the bargaining table.

Information sessions will held on Thursday, March 27, from 6am-9am, 11:30am-1:30pm, and 6pm-9pm in Training Room B.

Voting will take place on Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, from 2:00pm-11:30pm in Auditorium C. 

Union gets Management to back down on BSN requirement

Thanks to the members pushing back, management withdrew its proposal last Thursday to require current employees to get their BSN or face termination.  Management still has on the table a proposal to force new hires to get their BSN.  The Union has suggested that management provide incentives for our members to get their degrees like additional tuition reimbursement rather than punishments.  Additional push back from the members is needed to get further improvements on this issue.

Union tells management, "I want my EIB!"

Management has refused to budge on their proposal to remove EIB from the contract:

Section 11.4 Extended Illness Bank (“EIB”)

Benefit status nurses (.5 FTE status or above) will be entitled to Extended Illness Bank time (“EIB”) after successful completion of ninety (90) calendar days of employment with the Medical Center.

EIB time is intended to be used for a nurse’s personal illness or accident.  There is a two (2) day (sixteen (16) hour) waiting period per occurrence before EIB time may be used for a personal illness.  Accrued PTO time will be used for up to the first two (2) consecutive days (sixteen (16) hours) per occurrence of personal illness or accident.

EIB hours shall accrue each payroll period using the following formula:

               Benefit Status Nurses                     .0462 x eligible hours

The maximum accumulation of EIB time is four hundred eighty (480) hours, or sixty (60) days.  EIB time is not paid upon termination.

In the event that Provena Health makes any system-wide changes to enhance the current EIB Program, all registered nurses covered under this agreement shall be eligible for any EIB Program changes.

[Remove references to EIB section in contract]

Immediately, this means that you will have to use twice as much PTO before using EIB.  Long-term, it means management can change or eliminate EIB as they see fit.  Does anyone think that further reductions in the benefit aren't coming?

Join your union negotiating in telling management "I want my EIB!"

Big issues still unsettled as we come down to the wire

Your Bargaining Team continues to work for a fair contract, one that enshrines safety and respect.  Through meetings, surveys, and discussions, it quickly became clear the safety and staffing  are the primary issues for many of the nurses here.  Currently, your Union is fighting for safe staffing minimums. This will create system the protects patient safety, with enforceable and objective staffing minimums.  Nurses on the bargaining team have offered to go unit by unit in a collaborative process with management.  Additionally, the team is fighting for “Free Charge” on the floors: a charge nurse that doesn’t take a team, and instead is a dedicated resource to her fellow nurses.  The team is also working to reform and improve the Staffing and Acuity Committee. Throughout, the Union nurses at the table have spoken with one voice: “Patient safety is paramount.”
          Management’s response?  Talk and more talk.  They are unwilling to cede any decision making ability to the real experts–us!  At times, they seem unwilling to admit that there even is a problem.  Please, join your Bargaining Team, and let the hospital know: “Inadequate staffing is all too real a problem!  Patient safety is paramount.  Give us the resources we need to care for OUR patients.”
         On wages, we have pushed management to move towards a pay scale.  This is a big  win for us.  It will create clearer, more equitable pay.  For many nurses, especially those  who have been here for several years, yet continue to make as much as new grads, this will result in sizeable, and well-earned, pay raises.  But here our work is not yet done.  Management continues to cry broke.  But, we know what we are  worth; it is a safe bet the hospital does, too.  We need the fair and competitive wages we deserve!
         Your team has made significant advances in several other areas.  We are close to an agreement on  call pay.  Your Bargaining Team has fought long and hard to end the exploitative practice of forcing nurses who take call to stay at the hospital, and only paying them straight time.  Both sides are extremely close to an agreement to end this practice, and have nurses compensated at time and a half.
          At the same time, management is also proposing removing EIB from the contract. That means they could make any changes they want, even eliminating it altogether.  It would immediately result in nurses having to use more PTO before receiving the EIB benefit.  We have heard from our members how important preserving EIB is and we're pushing back.  We have heard from you how important safe staffi ng is and we're pushing back.  We need YOU to let management know how important EIB is to you!  We need
YOU to let management know that you deserve safe staffing and decent wage!

This is OUR contract– All of Us.  We need your support!  Stay active and informed.

INA Nurses at Maryville Set to Strike Over Unfair Labor Practices

INA nurses at Maryville Behavioral Health Hospital in Des Plaines are set to strike March 10-15 over unfair labor practices.  MBHH is an inpatient psychiatric hospital program designed for children, adolescents, and young adults.

Ongoing injuries have been a major problem for staff. In the past two years, nurses have been repeatedly assaulted, suffering head injuries, stab wounds, and other serious harm. Maryville has already been reprimanded by OSHA for unsafe working conditions.

More recently, the National Labor Relations Board found merit to an Unfair Labor Practice charge of Maryville management's failure to bargain in good faith during negotiations in February of 2013. The employer's actions delayed the start and progress of bargaining.

Nurses have called the strike in the face of intense management intimidation. Representatives of management have indicated to staff that striking nurses would be illegally replaced.

Our sisters and brothers at Maryville would appreciate our support.  If your interested in helping their fight for justice, send us an email at ina.stjoes@gmail.com.


You can read more here

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140304/news/140309465/