April 19, 2010 - Our Union is currently working very hard to address the following issues:
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IN HOUSE REGISTRY Flyers have been distributed for the past three weeks to keep members informed.
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HARRASSMENT in ER We are addressing the harassment and unsafe, hostile environment in the ER DEPARTMENT.
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ARTICLE 11 We have passed out a copy of Article 11 due to complaints from nurses in several departments regarding vacations not being granted in accordance with our Union contract.
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BREAKS & MEAL PERIODS We have filed a grievance on behalf of members not receiving proper meal periods and breaks.
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CLASSIFICATION Our grievance over classification issues has been sent to arbitration.
March 2010 - Our Union has filed a grievance because the hospital has not continued the In-House Registry program in some units as required by our contract.
Tenet denied the Step 2 hearing.
Grievance has been filed to Arbitration.
Our Union has requested that all employees who worked overtime be paid the In-House Registry rate (i.e. double time premium) for overtime in units where they had previously been paid the IHR rate. This resolution to our Union’s grievance would be retroactive as well as going forward.
Click here for details
Paige Radcliff, RN and Ralph Strnad, RN
Jeannie Bruce, RN, Dora Machuca, RN and Amanda Gibson, RN
March 1, 2010 - JFK members now have six fully trained stewards to assist us with any workplace issues we may have. The following nurses graduated from steward training on March 1, 2010:
Ralph Strnad, PCU West
Paige Radcliff, ICU
Dora Machuca, Recovery
Tracey Pryor, Recovery
Amanda Gibson, PEDS
Jeannie Bruce, PEDS
Our stewards participated in many hours of education and study, including topics such as talking to coworkers, problem solving, the role of the steward, and disputes and grievances and the related rights, procedures and best practices.
Congratulations to our new stewards! Please feel free to contact any of them with problems or concerns you may have.
Barbara Washington-Knight, RN at kaiser Moreno Valley
Community Hospital, with Local 121RN Staff Donna Sigaty
and Sonya Jimmons
Several Local 121RN members from John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital and Kaiser Moreno Valley Community Hospital participated in the first Vision Conference on January 30. Hosted by SEIU Local 721, the conference brought together SEIU members and Riverside-area elected officials to address issues impacting the community.
More than 50 elected officials and dignitaries from all corners of the Inland region joined about 350 SEIU members at the Moreno Valley Conference Center. Elected officials included Riverside County Board Supervisors Marion Ashley, John Tavaglione, Jeff Stone and John Benoit.
Other attendees included Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner Stanley Sniff, Riverside County District Attorney Rod Pacheco, Riverside Mayor Ron Loveridge and economist John Husing, who specializes in Southern California's Inland region economy.
By Megan McCloskey
Las Vegas Sun
Friday, Oct. 10, 2008
When labor contract negotiations with hospitals progress slowly — much like the current stalemate at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals — nurses and their unions often launch public relations campaigns.
This classic union tactic is designed to try to tip the balance of power at the bargaining table. But union ploys aside (last month there was a candlelight vigil), the public might have a reason to pay attention to organized workforces in health care. New studies show that unions in hospitals make a difference in the quality of care.
Read More
January 15, 2010 - Our Union continues to work with Human Resources regarding problems such as discrimination, hostile work environment, disparity of treatment and intimidation. A class action grievance was filed regarding Emergency Room issues on January 13.
Our Union and JFK management are working very hard to resolve problems at JFK. About 40 grievances are left unsettled and 40 have been settled. Grievances settled include issues regarding pay and retroactive pay, unfair terminations, harassment, and several classification and status changes. Our Union meets with Human Resources every Wednesday to discuss and seek resolutions to grievances and worksite issues.
Several JFK nurses attended the two-day training held by SEIU 121RN at Morongo Casino in Cabazon, Calif. The training will help our nurses avoid medication errors and deal with issues when it comes to being a charge nurse. Those in attendance for both days received 11 continuing education units. And, they had a lot of fun meeting and talking with other registered nurse members of 121RN!
Grievance Meetings every Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Representative Debbie Jackson at hospital:
Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursdays from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Two John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital registered nurses recently received $1,000 scholarships from SEIU 121RN. Congratulations to Binal Patel, surgical tower, and Stephanie Townsend, operating room. 121RN issued 13 scholarships to RNs at seven hospitals.
If you are pursuing further education or plan to, apply for a 121RN scholarship in 2010. Details will be on our website by July.
Wage Order 5:
“(A) Every employer shall authorize and permit all employees to take rest periods, which insofar as practicable shall be in the middle of each work period. The authorized rest period time shall be based on the total hours worked daily at the rate of ten (10) minutes net rest time per four (4) hours or major fraction thereof. However, a rest period need not be authorized for employees whose total daily work time is less than three and one-half (3 ½) hours. Authorized rest period time shall be counted, as hours worked, for which there shall be no deduction from wages”
The State Nurse-Patient Ratio Law states the ratios shall be in place “at all times” Title 22 §70217. Therefore an RN has to be replaced for the duration of the break.
No one offered you (i.e. offered to cover for you during) a break.
Penalty for a missed rest period from Wage Order 5:“(B) If an employer fails to provide an employee a rest period in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Order, the employer shall pay the employee one (1) hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate of compensation for each work day that the rest period is not provided”
In the case of Murphy v. Cole, the California Supreme Court held that the remedy for meal and rest period violations of "one additional hour of pay" under Labor Code section 226.7 is a wage subject to a three-year statute of limitations. Accordingly, a claim must be filed within three (3) years of the alleged meal period violation with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement,.
You were offered a break, there was staff available to assume the care of your patients, but you declined, for whatever reason.