United Nurses & Allied Professionals - News from UNAP Locals

Local 5086 elections coming up in May

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:43:10 -0400

May 19, 2008 is the next Membership meeting. We will be voting on the budget and also holding elections that day. The meetings will be at 8am, 2pm and 4pm, the place will be announced.

Memorial Hospital found guilty of multiple unfair labor practices

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:20:44 -0400

In a recent strongly worded decision, the National Labor Relations Board has found Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island guilty of threatening and disciplining employees for wearing buttons and stickers to protest the hospital's positions on issues such as mandatory overtime and medical insurance benefits. In addition, Judge Wallace Nations found that Memorial Hospital illegally interrogated employees on the issue of whether or not they would cross a picket line in the event of a strike.

With respect to Memorial Hospital's attempt to ban Union members from wearing Union buttons and stickers, the Judge wrote:

"The purpose of the ban and the discipline issued for violating the ban was not founded in any concern for patients' feelings, but rather, from management frustration over the progress of contract negotiations and was an attempt to punish the union."

The Judge also criticized hospital president Frank Dietz for issuing a dishonest press release that was calculated to mislead the public:

New contract ratified at RI Hospital

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 08:40:13 -0400

July 17, 2007

After five membership meetings, a new contract was ratified today by the RI Hospital UNAP. The vote tally was:

YES: 323

NO: 224

Among the highlights of the agreement are:

Wage increases ranging from 16Â½ - 33% over the life of the contract
Improvements in shift differentials
Improvements in on-call pay
Continuation of double-time and all other overtime premiums
Continuation of sick leave buy-back options
Protection of all health insurance benefits
Elimination of Lifespan Master Agreement
Continuation of Labor-Management Liaisons

All members will receive an immediate 5% pay increase retroactive to July 1. The new contract will expire on June 30, 2011.

CLICK HERE to read a detailed summary of the agreement
CLICK HERE to read FAQs (frequently asked questions)
CLICK HERE to see the new wage scales.

RI Hospital contract details

Thu, 05 Jul 2007 10:00:20 -0400

The United Nurses & Allied Professionals and Rhode Island Hospital have reached an agreement on a new four-year contract that will make Rhode Island Hospital nurses, technologists, therapists and other allied health professionals among the highest paid in the State. The agreement was reached on Monday, July 2 after nine bargaining sessions, including a marathon, sixteen-hour session on June 28.

CLICK HERE to read a detailed summary of the agreement.

CLICK HERE to see the new wage scales.

CLICK HERE to read FAQs (frequently asked questions.)

Contract Update - Tentative agreement reached

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 18:54:52 -0400

July 2, 2007 â€“ After one final day of negotiations, a tentative agreement for a new contract has been reached between the United Nurses & Allied Professionals and RI Hospital. Among the highlights of the agreement are:

Wage increases of 16 Â½ percent (plus anniversary and longevity steps)
Improvements in shift differentials
Improvements in on-call pay
Continuation of double-time and all other overtime premiums
Continuation of all sick leave and vacation buy-back options
Resolution of all leave of absence issues
Continuation of Labor-Management Liaisons
Elimination of Lifespan Master Agreement

Full details of the tentative agreement will be sent to all Union members in the next few days. Membership meetings and ratification vote will be held on Tuesday, July 17. Location and times to be announced.

Membership Survey

Sun, 13 May 2007 22:08:12 -0400

Early negotiations survey results
The UNAP has been considering the option of early contract negotiations with RI Hospital. Based on our membership survey responses, 80% of our members think we should attempt early contract negotiations. Based on this response, we have scheduled nine bargaining dates with the Hospital in May and June. Of course, if negotiations are not successful, we will simply negotiate in the spring of 2008, as originally planned.

Haven't completed the Union survey yet? You can still respond on-line.
We really want to know what you think. A few weeks ago, we mailed you a survey, and we have already received hundreds of returns. If you have not already mailed back the survey, you can now complete the survey on-line by clicking here. We ask that you please do not respond to the survey more than once.

Membership Meetings

Sun, 13 May 2007 22:06:22 -0400

Membership meetings
As always, we will need your involvement and support for negotiations to be successful. We encourage you to come to any of the five membership meetings that have been scheduled to share your thoughts and ideas about early contract negotiations. The meetings will be:

Monday, May 14: 1:00 & 4:00 PM
Tuesday, May 15: 8:00 AM
Wednesday, May 16: 6:00 & 8:00 PM

All meetings will be held at the UNAP office at 375 Branch Avenue, Providence. (Take exit 24 off I-95.)

Contract Update - 5/29/07

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 15:22:22 -0400

Two bargaining sessions held
Little progress so far

Early contract negotiations between RI Hospital and the UNAP began on Tuesday, May 22. After two sessions, there has been little progress.

The UNAP decided to enter into early negotiations after the Hospital raised the possibility and after Union members expressed strong support for the idea.

At the first bargaining session, the Union presented detailed proposals on a wide range of issues. The Union emphasized that its proposals were based on feedback gathered from over 600 member surveys. Highlights of the Unionâ€™s proposals include:

Increase wage scales to retain junior employees and reward senior employees
Increase differentials (shift, on-call, charge, and precepting) in recognition of the challenges and responsibilities of these assignments
Improve retirement and health benefits
Address numerous contract language issues, including seniority, floating, sick leave, floating holiday, staffing, health & safety, and more

At the second bargaining session, the Union negotiating committee expressed its disappointment to the Hospital for its lack of proposals and counter-proposals, and the Hospital assured the Union that it would have proposals at the next bargaining session on June 4.

Contract Update - 6/26/07

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 20:06:20 -0400

Final session scheduled for June 28
Negotiations are coming down to the wire!

Early contract negotiations between the UNAP and RI Hospital have reached a critical point. In the past three sessions (June 20, 21 and 25), there have been intense discussions about many important but difficult issues.

While some progress has been made on resolving many of the following issues, a full agreement has not yet been reached:

Wage Increases
Differentials (shift, preceptor, charge)
On-Call
Tuition Assistance
Health & Dental Insurance
Leaves of Absence
Labor-Management Liaisons
Retirement
Mandatory Overtime
Double-Time
Longevity Recognition
Sick & Vacation Buy-back
Floating
Exempt Employees
Lifespan Master Contract

Our final bargaining session is scheduled for Thursday, June 28.

Contract Update - 6/12/07

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 19:59:59 -0400

RIH will make economic proposal on June 20
Hospital proposes language changes

Two more bargaining sessions were held last week, bringing the total number of sessions so far to four. As is often the case in negotiations, the initial focus has been on non-economic issues.

On June 4, the Hospital presented a complete package of non-economic proposals, almost all of which were looking to take away rights and protections that have existed in our contract for many years. Among the most significant Hospital proposals were:

Eliminate all double time pay
Require PICU nurses to float to pedi PACU or ED when census is low
Eliminate sick leave buy back option
Remove Baylor position from employees who call out twice in a six- month period
Eliminate extra pay and comp time from exempt employees, except when doing â€œdirect patient careâ€
Change several provisions related to leaves of absence

The Hospital also expressed an interest in creating incentives for employees to work full-time, but did not make any specific proposals.

UNAP members win new contract at Landmark Medical Center

Fri, 24 Nov 2006 17:36:56 -0500

Union campaign defeats Hospital takeaway proposals

After nearly sixteen straight hours of negotiations on Tuesday, November 21, the Northern Rhode Island UNAP and Landmark Medical Center reached a settlement agreement on a new three-year contract. Negotiations began in August and continued beyond the expiration of the old agreement, which expired on September 30. The agreement was ratified overwhelmingly on November 28. The new agreement will be in effect through September 30, 2009.

Among the major issues at the center of what was a contentious contract battle were employeesâ€™ pension benefits, medical insurance coverage, prescription drug coverage, wages and overtime.

â€œOur members stood strong and united in the face of many of the drastic cuts proposed by the hospital,â€ said Jan Peso, a RN and the Local President. â€œThe hospital proposed to end our membersâ€™ defined benefit pension plan and more than double employee contributions for medical insurance and prescription drug coverage. They ended up withdrawing on each of those proposals,â€ said Peso.

Rally for Fairness held at Landmark Medical Center

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 13:17:31 -0400

Despite the inclement weather on Friday, October 20th dozens of Northern Rhode Island United Nurses & Allied Professionals, Local 5067 members and supporters held an Informational Picket and a Rally for Fairness at Landmark Medical Center and The Heart Center. The picket and rally were held in response to Landmark administration's continued demands for cuts in employee pension rights, health benefits, and other contractual protections.

Fighting for Respect at Memorial Hospital

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 10:25:06 -0400

Click here to send a message to Memorial Hospital CEO Frank Dietz.

Hundreds of Memorial Hospital UNAP members have taken a stand against the disrespectful and uncaring attitude that Memorial Hospital administration has shown to employees during negotiations for a new Union contract.

While Memorial Hospital says it cares about its employees, here are the facts:

* Memorial Hospital wants to financially penalize employees who don't get their hospital care at Memorial Hospital.

* Memorial Hospital is unwilling to make reasonable efforts to avoid the unsafe practice of mandatory overtime.

* Memorial Hospital refuses to provide health insurance to domestic partners.

* Memorial Hospital insists that employees use vacation time when a relative dies while the employee is on vacation.

Northern RI UNAP pickets Blue Cross Headquarters

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 13:18:38 -0400

On Thursday, July 24, nearly 100 UNAP members and supporters picketed the headquarters of Blue Cross Blue Shield of RI to demand that the giant health insurer provide adequate reimbursement for health care services provided by Landmark Medical Center.

Click here to read Providence Journal article.

UNAP Local 5050 wins first contract with Youth Services

Thu, 26 Jan 2006 18:05:28 -0500

After a full year of negotiations and a hard-hitting community campaign, which included leafleting, picketing, meeting with state legislators and appearing on a local radio station, UNAP, Local 5050 won its first contract. As a result, employees now have a real grievance procedure with arbitration, more job security, more secure wages, some modest relief when it comes to out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drug coverage, and more money for training and professional development. The Local also protected other significant benefits including paid leave and leave of absence benefits.