Crystal Diaz, RN, Med-Surg
Los Robles

         We work hard. We are the backbone of HCAs profits. Without the RNs, there would be no hospital. We deserve to be paid fairly and what we’re worth for the care we provide and the experience we have to offer. 

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• Hospital administration received a phone call about an alleged HIPAA violation that happened more than a year ago — the nurse, with 22 years of exemplary service, was suspended for investigation.

• Hospital management suspected a nurse was sleeping on the job even though co-workers knew she was caring for an NICU baby and could not instantly respond. The hospital suspended the nurse for investigation until they could talk to the co-workers some days later.

• A nurse made a clerical mistake ordering blood, and the mistake was caught through the system designed to catch those errors. The nurse was suspended for investigation even though the mistake was caught and there was no harm to the patient.

Our Union's Proposal on Investigatory Suspension

Investigatory Suspension. No employee will be held in unpaid investigatory suspension for more than ten (10) calendar days. The Hospital must meet both of the following conditions to place an employee in an unpaid investigatory suspension: 

· The Hospital must have a reasonable belief that an employee’s continued presence in the workplace creates an imminent threat to the health, safety, or welfare of patients, other employees, patient families or data/property;

· The Hospital is initiating an investigation to determine whether disciplinary action is warranted.

Click here for additional information on:
Tentative agreement on Paycheck Errors
Our Union's Variable Shift proposal
Our Union's Vacation Requests & Holidays proposal

 June 11, 2010- Our Union has proposed that our contract guarantee Registered Nurses that they have at least eight hours off between shifts for sleep at the nurse’s request. This means if a nurse has worked overtime or taken an extra call, and their next scheduled shift is less than eight hours away, the hospital will not require that nurse to report for their next shift if the nurse feels too fatigued.

However, HCA management’s proposal makes no such distinction, and only says “Any employee who is incapable of safely performing his/her duties because of a lack of sleep or any other  reason is required to notify the appropriate supervisor or designee (as determined by departmental protocol) to discuss potential alternative scheduling arrangements.”

The language proposed by HCA does not protect patients from fatigued nurses nor does it put into place any guidelines defining the length of time a nurse needs to rest. All it says is “talk to your supervisor.” If talking to our supervisor solved problems in a mutually beneficial manner at all times, we would have no need for a contract at all! 

Looking at the bigger picture, even if you’re not in a mandatory call unit, this could affect all HCA nurses if variable shifts become more widespread. We must stand together now against all of management’s anti-nurse proposals.

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During the week of April 26, Registered Nurses at all three HCA hospitals overwhelming voted to authorize our Bargaining Team to schedule an informational picket as needed to urge HCA to negotiate a fair contract.

Paula Stiles, RN
Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center

I support an info picket because the last time we did a picket it helped management see and understand that we are united and want to move forward in an organized and respectful way.

Debbie Espinoza, RN, ICU
Los Robles Hospital

It's hard to believe! It's been such a struggle just to be paid properly. I’m glad our union didn't give up and kept fighting. It should not be an everyday battle to be paid correctly.

Was Your Anniversary Raise Right?

Jennifer Potts, RN, NICU
Riverside Community

It's unfortunate that employers don't always do what is fair and right by paying their more experienced nurses and those who have been loyal to the hospital for years more than a novice nurse. I'm grateful that our union supported those of us affected and fought for us to get closer to the contract scale.

Rich McGowan
Los Robles Hospital & Madical Center

Our courtesy proposal shouldn’t be necessary, but too many instances have shown that it is. It is important enough that the hospital created its own policy, now we want to make sure it’s enforced equitably.

February 3, 2010 - Our Bargaining Team presented several proposals to management in the first two days of bargaining our new contract. Some of the items are:
  A comprehensive Clinical Ladder program designed to promote the professional enrichment and growth of bargaining unit nurses
  Creation of a labor-management committee that would meet to engage in assessment, analysis, implementation and evaluation of new technology, equipment and products prior to purchase by HCA.
  Not disciplining RNs for self-reported medical errors
  Setting Patient Classification Standards as determined by the Labor-Management Staffing Issues Committee
  Creating ground rules for courtesy and professionalism in the workplace
  Codify how the Catalyst Acuity Tool is supposed to work

Management’s response has made it clear that bargaining will move slowly. Our team is committed to sticking together and sharing updates with the membership as we go along. These are our team’s initial proposals. There are many more proposals to be made, including raises, health benefits and scheduling.

Bargaining Dates: Feb. 17-18 & march 3, 4, 17, 18, 30, 31

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