Members reject Lifespan takeaways
RI Hospital UNAP members voted overwhelmingly last month by 876 to 14 to reject a Lifespan proposal to reduce wages and benefits.  The proposed givebacks have already been imposed on non-union employees throughout the Lifespan system; however, the RI Hospital UNAP contract will remain in effect without any of the changes proposed by Lifespan.
 
Lifespan threatens to take away Service Credits
In spite of the overwhelming rejection of Lifespan's giveback proposals, RI Hospital is now threatening to eliminate the Service Credits that have been paid to employees with 10 or more years of service since at least the 1990s.  While Service Credits are not explicitly mentioned in our Union contract, our Union has made clear to the Hospital that Service Credits are a binding past practice that cannot be changed without the agreement of the Union.  If necessary, the UNAP will take legal action to protect this benefit.
 
Union wins arbitration case on unpaid meal breaks
An arbitrator has ruled that RI Hospital violated the Union contract when it added an unpaid meal break to employees who had been hired into 8-hour shifts (as opposed to 8 1/2 hours).  The arbitrator ordered the Hospital to return all affected employees to their previous 8-hour shift.  The Hospital has not yet complied with the arbitrator's decision, and the Union may need to take legal action to enforce the arbitrator's award.  Most (but not all) affected employees work the night shift.
 
Solving problems in the O.R.
The Union has addressed a number of safety and morale issues in the in-patient OR.  A new Unit Rep filed a grievance about a dress code policy about earrings that wasn’t being enforced consistently.  In response, the Rep was added to a committee to look at dress code issues in the department.  The Union also filed a grievance about members not getting their proper breaks, which resulted in improved scheduling of breaks. 
 
Baylor issues
Baylor nurses on CTIC recently filed a grievance to step 3 due to a change in their weekend schedule.  The Union felt that there was no basis for the change.  After discussion with the Hospital, the nurses on that unit worked together and came up with their own plan to cover the weekend shifts.

Radiology
Several members received back pay for on-call related issues.   Also, the union clarified that UNAP members who graduate from the RI Hospital School of Radiology have first preference for postings in Diagnostic Imaging over non-UNAP students.

How late is late?
The Hospital continues to be aggressive in giving warnings for sick time and tardiness.  For example, even if you badge-in within the seven minute window, you are still considered late if you are not ready for work at your scheduled start time.  Do not confuse the window for badging-in with the requirement to be ready at the start of your shift….In recent months, several warnings for tardiness and sick calls have been reduced in time or severity in response to UNAP grievances.

Off-cycle pay checks
The Union continues to be successful in getting off-cycle checks for members, particularly when Payroll incorrectly calculates an employee’s hours of work.  When employees fail to badge in/out, they may need to wait to the following week to receive the proper adjustment.

Wasting away
The Union worked with a nurse and with management to solve the problem of how to witness wasting of narcotics in a very small department with just one RN.

A RN was disciplined for not properly wasting narcotics.  The Union proved the problem was in the Omni cell.  The discipline was dropped and the Omni cell has been fixed.

Wrong rate of pay
The Hospital quoted the wrong salary rates to members in a newly formed unit.  The Union worked with the Hospital on a solution so that the members would keep their rate of pay and not suffer a loss.

Another nurse had been receiving an incorrect salary rate.  When the Union contacted Compensation to alert them of the error, the mistake was corrected and the employee received back pay for all lost wages.

Tuition assistance
The Union successfully intervened to ensure that the Hospital would continue to honor its agreement to pay 100% of the tuition for UNAP members in the BSN program at Salve Regina College who have agreed to remain at the Hospital for two years after graduating. 

Vacation clarification
The Union has clarified numerous vacation questions and problems, including:

• increasing the allotment of available vacation hours in certain units;
• clarifying that employees do NOT have to cover their weekend days when they take a full week’s vacation
• clarifying that an employee may take a full week’s vacation during a week in which they are scheduled to work a holiday, but that the employee will have to find holiday coverage or work the holiday.
• clarifying the seniority provisions related to vacation scheduling

Change is sometimes better
A nurse who was having practice issues on her unit obtained a more suitable position in a new department which is a much better fit for her.  It is important for employees to look for positions that suit their skills and personal attributes, and to job shadow whenever possible before taking a new position.
 
New Unit Reps
Lots of members are getting involved in the union now.  We have been fortunate to get some great new unit reps.  They include Wendy Swain, Andrea Stinson, Dave Stephenson, David Onasile, Cheryl Corbesero, Nelson Pedro and Lisa Starnino.

UNAP Liaisons
Helene Macedo and Isma Gueye, UNAP labor-management liaisons, have been a big help in quickly and effectively addressing members questions and problems.  They can be reached by email at igueye@lifespan.org and hmacedo@lifespan.org.