Union Makes a Difference in Patient Care
March 12, 2010 - At the bargaining table March 3-4, our Bargaining Team reiterated their request that time spent on negotiations be considered time worked for purposes of fulfilling an RN’s work commitment. Although the hospitals have agreed to release RNs to attend bargaining if they have been scheduled to work, they are still requiring them to work their full commitment. This means some nurses are working as much as three days at the hospital and two full days bargaining. This has never been a major issue during previous negotiations.
Stella Chavez, RN
West Hills Hospital
I’m involved in bargaining for the third time. I’ve been lucky enough to see all the improvements we’ve made from contract to contract. We have fewer travelers and more permanent staff, better salaries and improved patient care. It’s probably the most important contribution I’ve made to my co-workers and patients at West Hills Hospital.
Just as we tend to our patients at the bedside, we are now working to improve patient care through our work at the bargaining table. Our contract makes a difference and,
“We are HCA’s greatest resource!"
We hope to resolve this issue March 17-18 when we next meet with the hospitals.
Union Pushes for Improved Balance
Our Union has presented many articles with the goal of improving patient care, our work environment and safety at the three HCA hospitals: Los Robles, Riverside and West Hills. On March 3-4, we introduced proposals that address scheduling an issue that affects both our personal and professional lives. If we volunteer to work extra shifts, we should know that we can work that shift as soon as possible so that we can arrange for child care, other appointments and so on. In response to the hospitals’ proposals, our Union has suggested the following:
Local 121RN Proposal
• An RN can
sign up to work extra shifts before the employer finalizes the schedule
• Shifts allocated during a pay period based on a
rotating basis of seniority
• In-house registry program at Los Robles would remain intact
• Nurses who do not report to work for a shift for which they volunteered would be removed from the list for the rest of the pay period instead of the current 90 days.
HCA Management Proposal
• The Hospitals and our Union both agree that work must be reassigned on a rotational basis, starting with the most senior employee. However, the Hospital’s proposal also states that if the hospital makes an error in the selection of an employee in regard to the extra shift, he/she will be selected for the next available shift, if qualified. (Proposed changes to current contract.)
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