Children’s Therapy Center Bargaining Update

On Friday, January 23 we had our sixth bargaining session with Children’s Therapy Center Management. Our team presented our responses to Management’s proposals from our previous session and brought up the total compensation model that Children’s Therapy Center touts as their strategy. The total compensation model is a model in which Children’s Therapy considers wages, paid time off, health care in their analysis of compensation to other programs that provide similar services, rather than just wages. In our analysis, we found that there was room to make Children’s Therapy Center more competitive in the market and continued to propose higher wages, lower health care contributions, PTO and Holidays.

We presented the wage comparisons we compiled to show the employer how we got to our proposals. While we did not have to do this, we felt showing the employer other wages (as well as the paid time off offered by other similar employers that we found online) would better help the employer understand why we came with the wage, PTO and holiday proposals that we did.
 
After we presented our proposal, we had a productive conversation about inclement weather that clarified when the Employer felt that an inclement weather day should be declared and whether or not ECP would be allowed to be used. They felt that being unable to drive as well as being unable to offer telehealth (due to the internet or electricity going down) was a different circumstance than a family declining telehealth while we still have access to the internet and electricity. After our discussion, the employer said they will get us a proposal that reflects the different circumstances that might arise when inclement weather occurs.
 
During the conversation about inclement weather the employer also told us that they would get us caseload language so that we could review before our next session. We created Caseload language to help come up with reasonable Caseload expectations from both sides. The language enumerates a calculation that creates a maximum for how many cases you regularly have, & factoring in how complex particular cases may be (for instance, CHERISH, Medically Complex Feeding) as well as FTE reductions to account for responsibilities that fall outside of direct care time. While we are aware there might be slight philosophical differences between us and management in how we are calculating our hours, we are hopeful that we can create a calculator that creates a maximum for how many cases you regularly have, & factoring in how complex particular cases may be (for instance, CHERISH, Medically Complex Feeding) as well as adjusting expected case time based on activities that are required (staff meetings, evaluations, being a Clinical Fellow, being a Clinical Supervisor etc.) but do not include direct service time.
 
Our team are looking forward to receiving the Employer’s response on February 12.

Contract Action Team Meeting Thursday, January 29 at 6:30pm >>

Please Attend our next Contract Action Team Meeting on Thursday January 29 at 6:30pm to discuss ongoing negotiations, and our plans to build power and secure a strong first contract!