This
morning, the union notified St. Joe's management that all of the mandatory
bargaining subjects have been resolved and that the union is going to present
the tentative agreements to its membership on Thursday and Friday for your
consideration.
Management has been trying to force the union bargaining team to give up our
unfair labor practice complaints that have been filed with the National Labor
Relations Board over their illegal infringement of our rights. They have also
demanded that we promise to not file any more unfair labor practice complaints
(even if they fire a member of the bargaining team!) and they want us to
withdraw a request for information we have made related to staffing.
There are certain things that either side can ask for in negotiations, but that
they can't make the other side bargain them. The National Labor Relations Act
refers to these things as "permissive subjects of bargaining" (the
others—like wages and benefits—are “mandatory subjects”) and the demands
mentioned above that management is insisting on are permissive subject
proposals. These are the only items still left on the table.
We believe management is trying to avoid reaching an agreement by insisting on
acceptance of permissive proposals. They don’t like this approach we are taking
and may try to sabotage the process, but we are not going to let them delay the
contract any further. There are no unresolved mandatory subject proposals and,
therefore, we are ready for you to vote.
We wish management would cooperate and provide us rooms in the hospital to have
the vote, but they haven't done so at this time. So, we are going to hold the
vote just a block away at the Painters Union Hall at 100 Republic Avenue on
Thursday and Friday. We know the location is not ideal, but it is
important that you have your vote counted, so please join us there.
The voting times will be 6 AM to 9 AM, 1 PM to 4 PM, and 5 PM to 8 PM. Ballots
will be counted on Friday at 8 PM. The ballot will offer two choices: whether
to accept the tentative agreements or to reject them and go on strike. You do
not want someone else making this important decision for you and must make
every effort to cast your vote.
Below is a summary of the contract changes. We will have the actual contract language at
the Painters Hall. Bargain team members
will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.
SUMMARY (* indicates items secured or improved since
the membership rejection)
Wages: 2014--Placement on an improved,
union-proposed grid to address inequities or 2%, whichever is greater*
2015—2.0%
2016—2.5%*
Call pay: If a nurse is scheduled to be on call and has
her/his shift extended by at least one hour (even if s/he doesn’t leave the
facility or punch out/in), the time beyond the shift will be paid at time and a
half.* If a nurse 60 years old or older
wants to be exempted from call, s/he must inform her/his manager. Once s/he is exempted, she remains exempted
unless s/he agrees otherwise.
Holidays: Holiday premium will increase to 150%. Starting in 2015, night shift will celebrate
holidays on the actual holiday instead of the day before.
Staffing: The union will appoint four nurses (up from
three) to the Staffing and Acuity Committee.
The Committee will meet monthly until July 2014, then every other month
(instead of quarterly now). The Union
and management will alternate creating the agenda. If more than five ADOs are filed by a unit
within a month, that unit’s staffing will be reviewed. All ADOs will receive a written response.*
HE: Nurses can volunteer
for HE before agency. If a nurse agrees,
she may be placed on voluntary standby instead of HE (earning $3.50/hour) and
still use PTO for any lost hours.* There
still is no mandatory standby.* If a
nurse is on voluntary standby and is called in, s/he must report within 90
minutes.
Temporary
Reassignment (pulling): Nurse will be given 60 minute notice prior to being
pulled (no notice required now).
Establish CCRTs’ first assignment as their “home unit” (this is
necessary because a nurse cannot be pulled more than once except back to their
home unit). No pulling on holidays.*
Layoff/recall: Increase notice of layoff from two weeks to
30 days. Increase recall from layoff
rights from 6 months to one year.
Reporting absences:
A nurse can call in up to two hours before her/his shift instead of the
currently required two and a half hours.
Work schedules: Hard copies of work schedules will be posted
upon the request of staff. Long-term
changes to patterns schedules will require the manager to seek volunteers
first, then by inverse seniority.
Discipline:
Increase notice of investigatory meetings from 24 hours to two business
days. Management will provide the reason
for the investigation and evidence at the meeting.
Non-discrimination: Prohibit discrimination based on sexual
orientation.
Probation: Decrease the probationary period from 120
days to 90 days. Allow probationary
employees access to the grievance procedure (except for termination during
probationary period).
Labor-Management
meetings: Agenda items must be submitted 7 days in advance to the union and
management.
Union business leave: Allow for a 90 day leave for union business
(none now).
Tuition reimbursement:
Extend tuition reimbursement to IHR I and II for BSN (50%). Eliminate tuition reimbursement for Master’s
for IHR III.
Clinical Pathways:
1/2% bonus of year’s earnings for participating in certain activities and
having certain education/training.
Overtime:
Management agrees to assign mandatory overtime in accord with the Hospital
Licensing Act.*
BSN requirement: Only
new hires without a BSN will have to start towards their degree within 6
months of hire and complete the program within 3 years.*
Insurance eligibility
for IHR: An IHR May be eligible for health insurance as a result of the
Affordable Care Act. If s/he takes it, her/his pay will be set at the rate of
other, non-IHR nurses.
Eliminate Weekend
Program.
Bereavement leave: Remove benefit for IHR III.
Extended Illness bank:
EIB remains protected by the contract*, but the PTO “deductible” increases to
32 hours. Excess PTO can no longer be rolled over into EIB.
Union Access:
Limited to “business” hours.
Contract length: Three year
term.
