Now that our Bargaining Team and management have gotten some initial items out of the way, negotiations have begun in earnest. We have bargaining dates scheduled through the end of March, and our team has presented all of our non-economic proposals to management. We will discuss all non-economic nursing issues before we start on economic proposals.  Here are the highlights:

Grievance Procedure

• Our team re-wrote language to make it easier to understand.
• Proposed new arbitrators.
• Deleted language referencing Tenet.

Discipline

• Discipline must be completed by management in a timely manner.
• Investigatory meetings may not be held over the phone and must be held during scheduled work time.
• Additional language addressing investigatory suspensions.

Floating

• New language addresses concerns of NICU, Critical Care and Monitored Bed RNs.

Economics

• Proposed Specialty Pay for RNs working in Pediatrics and Nursery / Post-Partum.
• Proposed that Super Float Pool RNs be allowed to work In-House Registry shifts and receive a weekend bonus. Current contract language prevents them from so doing.

Employee Monitoring

• We want the hospital to make it known to all employees — new or long-timers — that the hospital monitors certain areas of the hospital using video surveillance and tracking employee badges.

Hours of Work, Overtime & Scheduling

• Mid-shifts have been created in the ER. Our Union has proposed language throughout the contract which will address mid-shift concerns such as weekend scheduling and holiday pay.
• Clarification of break and lunch language.
• Scheduling has been a problem in the hospital, including scheduling of extra shifts and In-house Registry shifts. Our union has proposed language that addresses these scheduling concerns.

New Technology

• Have proposed a new article containing language around new technology.
• Includes language regarding use of electronic social media. Providence now has a policy on use of electronic social media. We want to ensure that employees’ legal rights are recognized and protected.