PRMCE RN Honing in...
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“Our team made progress identifying your contract priorities and communicating them to the employer. We look forward to bringing improvements that focus on patient safety, better access to education funds, and enhanced benefits to your contract.”
Our Union Bargaining Team: Kristen Crowder, Kimball Conlon, Carrie Rimel, Stephanie Sausman, Tulena Lammers, Terry Pierce, Scott Ryan, and Juan Stout
We bargained three days this week June 9 – 11 and will return to the bargaining table July 27 -28. This week our team focused on prioritizing our many language proposals and made significant process. We received the outstanding information requests from the Employer, which allowed us to cost potential proposals regarding health care and engage in continued conversation around the UFCW 3000 pension plan for nurses.
We had deep discussions this week on one of our greatest priorities which is to ensure RNs receive their Meal and Rest periods. We met with Providence to hear their ideas and plans for how to assure nurses receive breaks. There is a differing opinion between Providence and nurses on whether nurses are receiving their breaks and what may be the barriers. Our team is engaging in collaborative conversations to identify creative, structural, and culture solutions. If you have ideas for solutions, share with our Bargaining Team.
We will be holding educational sessions at our next three Contract Action Team meetings about the top priorities we are fighting for at the table. We will also answer questions about staffing and other language proposals. We will also begin education on rights, escalating actions to increase solidarity and community awareness.
Next Contract Action Team Meetings- Every other Tuesday at 8:00 pm via zoom.
June 23: Meal and Rest Periods
July 7: Education Training Trust
July 21: Retirement Solutions
ZOOM LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85761931704?pwd=2CAHnv7cme5buerW1flbRvbnwHbje6.1#success
Password: union
Our team will be sharing highlights and tentative agreements reached in our updates- join us for the Contract Action Team meetings to dig into details! Note: Our team is being transparent on proposals throughout the bargaining process and the final recommended agreement may not include these items.
Priorities we highlighted this week:
Competitive wages for recruitment and retention
Continuation of free parking
Improvements to Staffing and Staffing Committee language
Filling vacant shifts at time of schedule posting (removal of 20% threshold)
Emergent Needs Coverage Pay
Focusing holidays on inclusion of Veteran’s Day and definition of Christmas eve night for night shift nurses
Holidays and low census on standby, added definition of time
Required effort to give 1.5 hours notice of low census before shift
Break relief nurses and solutions for achieving breaks
Improvements to assignment of low census: clarification and mitigation for excessive low census
Low Census Standby will be offered to nurses placed on low census
Improvements to premiums including but not limited to: low census standby, standby on call, weekend, charge and relief charge
Staffing Premium when deviation occurs from DOH matrix/staffing plan
Pension Plan in addition to current 401k retirement plan
Health Care Training Trust for improved continuing education benefits
New tentative agreements reached:
Preceptor
Safety and Workplace violence
Hospital Staffing Committee
Transferring employees
Standby on call
All updates can be found on our website here >>
TAKE ACTION:
Continue to wear your Yellow and Blue union colors
We have the right to wear our Union bandanas, swag, and colors- let’s get creative and have fun with it.
Questions or to find out how you can get involved, contact a member of the bargaining team or Union Representative Anthony Cantu, 206-436-6566.
