April 12, 2010 - Our Local 121RN Patient Care Committee meets with management for three hours once a month to address issues concerning patient care.

Our newly won Weekend Differential of  $1 per hour will start  during the first full pay period in May. Pay increases will take effect at that time, as well.

Any issues that come up related to working conditions, please call or email Representative Mimi Holt, RN, at holtm@seiu121rn.org  or 213-247-4589.

February 26, 2010 -  Welcome back to Northridge CNE Ann Dechairo-Marino. Our Patient Care Committee meetings have not been the same without her.

On February 19, Case Managers Brett Faulkner, Richie Jenkins and Franciz Razo sat down with corporate to discuss possible changes to their job descriptions. There was excellent dialogue regarding both professional case manager issues as well as contractual issues with the changes proposed by CHW. CHW is going to rewrite the job description based on our RN’s recommendations.  

Gayle Batiste, Linda Pickford and Marilou Weiss joined St John’s nurses to negotiate an agreement concerning the education trust fund. Nurses currently enrolled in degree programs should be covered for the rest of the semester by the “old fund.” CHW has committed to ensure those currently enrolled will continue to receive the stipend. A ratification vote on a proposed change to the contract language regarding the fund will be held soon.

January 15, 2010 - “Kin Care,” or Labor Code section 233, allows employees to use up to half of their annual accrued sick leave (including PTO+ESL) benefits to care for a sick family member, including a child, parent, spouse or registered domestic partner. All California employers providing sick leave to their employees are covered. The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement administers Kin Care and accepts discrimination complaints when employers have failed to allow employees to take “Kin Care” leave.

If management has required you to provide a doctor’s note for use of one or two days of sick time to care for a sick family member, or if they have refused to allow you to use half of your accrued sick time to care for a family member who is ill, contact your shop steward or union representative.

For a detailed flyer including a full transcript of Labor Code section 233, click here.

January 14, 2010 - In mid-2009, Catholic Healthcare West notified SEIU 121RN that they believed that many members were ‑ due to a computer error - issued an incorrect amount of retroactive pay after ratification of our new contract. CHW’s plan was to pay those who were underpaid and seek repayment of as much as $250 per paycheck from those who were overpaid. During discussions with CHW, it was determined that CHW had corrected the software error and therefore could not repeat it. This prevented our Union from confirming the calculations. As a result, the Union refused to agree to the collection of overpayments. CHW in December paid anyone who was underpaid and agreed not to seek reimbursement from those who may have been overpaid. If you noticed a payment on your check in late December marked “retro,” you received the additional amount CHW calculated you were due. The payments ranged from 11 cents up to $729. 

January 14, 2010 – Members brought up the issue of incidental overtime at our recent patient care committee. Here are the problems that we’ve been hearing about:
 
Clinical supervisors are telling nurses that incidental overtime is ONLY authorized if it’s something serious, like a “Code Blue.” Nurses are afraid they will be written up for incurring incidental overtime so they clock out and finish their work off the clock.
 
Here’s how it’s supposed to work, as confirmed by administration on January 13:

1.    Incidental overtime only incurs a write up if it’s UNAUTHORIZED! If you tell your clinical supervisor at 3 p.m. or 5 p.m. or 6:15 p.m. that you need help and you aren’t going to make it out on time, THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO AUTHORIZE OVERTIME.
2.    If you clock out and then finish your work, that is considered falsification of your time card. And that is not allowed.

If you are having trouble and your clinical supervisor is giving you attitude about authorizing overtime, please let Union Representative Mimi Holt and your director know right away!
 
The hospital is also taking steps to help streamline your day:  Documentation is going to be looked at in a comprehensive way to eliminate duplication, and registries that provide nurses who don’t show up on time will be given a stern talking to.

November 2, 2009 - As required by our contract, you should receive a raise this month. Our contract says: “Effective the first full pay period in November 2009: The RN scale will be increased 2.5 percent.  SJRMC, SJPV and NHMC employees who are below step will be placed on step based on years of nursing experience. The maximum movement for those below step will be 5 percent. All benefitted employees will receive a minimum of 2 percent.”

Since the scale will be increased, per diems should see the increase reflected in their paychecks, too.

Speaking of the contract, where is it?  It has been proofread and formatted. We sent it to management a couple of weeks ago for a couple of pretty minor clarifications. We are waiting for their agreement with the finished product. Once we have this, it’s off to the printer!

The Northridge Facebook group is growing. If you would like to join, please send a request to Mimi via email or via Facebook. The group is only open to nurses who are currently nurses at Northridge hospital.

ADO forms have been distributed around the hospital for your convenience. Please fill one out and fax to our North Hollywood office at 818-760-8039

Contact me with any issues or potential conflicts. I’m on facebook by searching for Mimi Holt RN. I can also be reached by cell phone, 213-247-4589, or by email, holtm@seiu121rn.org.