UNAP Local 5051 settles 2nd contract; wins election at HCRS in Vermont
This past July, leaders of Local 5051 at HealthCare & Rehabilitation Services of Southeastern Vermont [HCRS] successfully negotiated their second contract. The new 2½ year agreement runs through December 31, 2011. As a result of hard bargaining, the Local prevented management from freezing wages and instituting deep cuts to employee medical insurance and retirement benefits. For example, HCRS management proposed to freeze wages for 3 years, proposed that employees pay 20% of the cost of medical insurance premiums, and proposed to do away with the mandatory employer match to the 403(b) plan. Because of the Local, employees will receive 4% in wage increases between now and October of 2010, pay just 14½% of the cost of medical insurance premiums, and retain much of the mandatory employer match to the employee 403(b). The NLRB conducted a decertification election at HCRS on August 20, 2009. The union prevailed by taking 60% of the vote.
Northern RI UNAP Local 5067 fights on at Landmark and RHRI
Landmark Medical Center remains under the control of a Special Master, appointed by Superior Court Judge Michael Silverstein to 1) stabilize the hospital financially, 2) oversee the day-to-day operations of the hospital, and 3) find a strategic partner to purchase Landmark. The Local continues to meet with the Special Master to discuss negotiating new contracts at Landmark and at the Rehabilitation Hospital of RI, which is also under the control of the Special Master. The Local also continues to advocate for preserving Landmark as a full-service community hospital.
UNAP Local 5082 reaches new 3-year deal with Memorial Hospital of RI
Local 5082 recently negotiated a new 3-year contract with Memorial Hospital. The contract will be in effect through early August of 2012. Remarkably, even with the recession and Memorial Hospital suffering from continued financial hardship, the Local succeeded in getting 7% in wage increases over the term of the agreement without making any concessions regarding medical insurance, retirement or other benefits. Modest language improvements were made on issues such as shift rotation and floating.
UNAP Local 5050 at Youth Services in Vermont gears up for negotiations
UNAP Local 5050, which represents members at Youth Services Inc., in Brattleboro, Vermont, will be negotiating for a new contract this fall. The current agreement expires on September 30, 2009. Surveys have gone out to the membership and the Local is in the process of drafting proposals.
Fatima freezes pension plan for non-union employees
Fatima Hospital has decided to freeze the pension plan effective September 30, 2009 for all employees not covered under a collective bargaining agreement. Only non-union members are affected by this change since the union contract protects the pension rights of UNAP members. Local 5110 leadership has worked diligently to assist in reorganizing the Hospital without loss of jobs for any of its members during these very tough times. It is a tribute to the collective bargaining process that the flexibility contained in the contract has helped the Hospital to survive and still protect members’ wages and benefits.
Brattleboro Retreat hires notorious union buster
After years of positive and constructive labor relations, the administration of Retreat Healthcare has hired the nationally infamous anti-union law firm of Jackson Lewis to represent them in labor matters. The Union took note of the same firm’s failed and disgraced union busting attempt at the UNAP local at HCRS last month (see related article). The Executive Board will prepare for negotiations immediately even though the contract is not set to expire until next October. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Westerly Hospital locals prepare to bargain
The contracts for both Westerly Hospital UNAP locals expire on November 5, 2009. Once again, both unions are coordinating their negotiation strategy and proposals. UNAP Local 5075 represents the professional and technical employees and UNAP Local 5104 represents the maintenance and service employees. Bargaining goals are focused on extending job protection for members on leave of absence, elimination of the hated no-fault attendance policy (discipline resulting from 6 occurrences in a year even if all absences are legitimate) and fair pay increases.
State RNs fight unpaid furlough days
Common sense, labor law and a signed contract all support the idea that employees are entitled to work their regularly scheduled hours and receive their pay accordingly. But Governor Carcieri thinks he has the right to tell selected members to stay home without pay simply because he has mismanaged the state budget - again. The Union will honor the terms and conditions negotiated in the contract and expects the governor to do the same. Any furloughs imposed will be challenged.
Kent nurses ratify first contract
Nurses at Kent Hospital ratified their first contract in July. The agreement was reached after a final around-the-clock negotiating session. The contract features a minimum increase of 8% over two years, the return of Blue Cross/Blue Shield, extended job protections for nurses on a leave of absence, protection of pension and medical insurance benefits and the many rights provided by a collective bargaining agreement.
VNS Local president testifies before congressional panel
Michele Labossiere, long-time president of the union at the VNS of Greater Rhode Island, flew to Washington at the request of the Agency’s CEO to provide testimony before a congressional panel. The purpose of the testimony was to provide Congress with a nurse’s perspective of proposed budget cuts to VNS patients. Labossiere met with Congressman Kennedy in the morning and then provided expert testimony before Congress in the afternoon.
It’s That Time Again at the Homestead!
UNAP Local 5068 at The Homestead Group is gearing up for contract negotiations. The contract expires December 31, and the bargaining team is not wasting any time preparing. The team met during the month of August to develop a contract survey and the local has sent the survey to the members. Surveys will be collected and analyzed in order to determine the issues (to be developed into proposals) and goals identified by the membership. The bargaining team hopes to be at the table with the employer soon.
RI Hospital UNAP faces new merger possibilities
After waiting and wondering for more than two years to see what would happen with the proposed Lifespan-Care New England merger, UNAP members were shocked to hear that Lifespan now also has plans to merge RI Hospital and Miriam Hospital. While very little is known about what Lifespan has in mind for either merger, the UNAP is determined to make sure that the interests of employees, patients, and communities are protected as the process moves forward. The regulatory review of both mergers is likely to take many more months, and UNAP members will have the opportunity to weigh in at public hearings when the time comes.