Jefferson Healthcare RN - Management’s Priorities: Recruitment (& Retention?)

Last week the Union RN Bargaining Team made a full economic proposal which included sustainable across the board wage increases and significant improvements to premiums. The team also proposed strong contract language that would better define floating and cross-training. Other contract language would promote improved scheduling.

This week Management prefaced their proposal with a statement about the importance of “recruitment and retention.”

Management presented their economic “package” this week that seemed to emphasize recruitment with seemingly little regard to retention. Management’s proposal would increase wages for some pay rates significantly and others would receive less than a 2% increase in the first year. The lowest increases would include those nurses currently at or near the top of the pay scale. This proposal from Management did little to improve premiums and in no way addressed the huge staffing issues that have significantly impacted all nurses.

Management has also made a proposal to eliminate contract language for Medical Leave, which currently allows for up to six months of leave protecting the employee’s specific position (shift, FTE.) They are proposing to replace this leave with language deferring to state/federal leave laws (i.e. FMLA.) Most state and federal leave does not exceed 12 weeks. This is a huge reduction! Where is the respect Jefferson?

Please share this information with coworkers! Our next bargaining session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 19!

Our Jefferson Healthcare RN Bargaining Team: Ben Schadler, RN ICU; Melanee Knudson, RN FBC; Jeannette Hundley, RN Surgical Services; Robin Bridge, RN ED; Ryan DeGouveia, UFCW 21; Cathy Macphail, UFCW 21