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 employees’ pension benefits, medical insurance coverage, prescription drug coverage, wages and overtime.

“Our members stood strong and united in the face of many of the drastic cuts proposed by the hospital,” said Jan Peso, a RN and the Local President.  “The hospital proposed to end our members’ 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,” said Peso.

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.