Brockton VNA ratifies new contract following lengthy negotiations

After almost 19 months of negotiating, the 50 MNA nurses at the Brockton VNA (BVNA) ratified a new contract on July 10 that grants them retroactive pay raises, vastly improved pension benefits and a new certification differential.

The bargaining unit’s previous contract expired in July 2004, with negotiations starting in November 2004. Since then, 23 negotiating sessions were held, with nine sessions in front of a federal mediator. The bargaining unit also held an informational picket in April.

“It was a long road,” said Fay Alden, co-chairperson of the MNA bargaining unit at BVNA, “but we stuck together, which is what this bargaining unit is known for doing, and we made good things happen—things that will benefit both the RNs and patients of the BVNA.”

Heading into negotiations the BVNA had lost 37 percent of its nursing staff during a period of just a few short years, and the nurses’ pay rates were 20 to 30 percent less than other VNAs.

“The acuity level of the patients we see is extremely high,” explained Alden, “primarily because patients are now forced out of the hospital before they are ready to go home. As a result, our working conditions and patient assignments have continually become more extensive, involved and challenging—so retaining qualified and dedicated RNs has been very important to our bargaining unit as a result. Unfortunately the conditions we’d been operating under made that level of retention difficult to achieve. But, without doubt, that scenario will change with this new contract.”

Highlights of settlement include:

• Fully retroactive pay increases for all members of the bargaining unit.
• Top pay for nurses paid on an hourly basis will be $33.47 by June 1, 2007
• Top pay for nurses paid on a per visit basis will be $42.48 by June 1, 2007.
• Vastly improved pension benefit which guarantees employer contribution of 2 to 4 percent for nurses and includes an employer match of 25 percent of employee contributions, for a total match of up to 1 percent of employee contribution of 4 percent.
• Introduction of new $300 annual certification differential.
• Tuition reimbursement available to all nurses regardless of whether they are paid hourly or on a per visit basis.
• Eight RNs will be allowed to switch their method of payment (hourly or per visit) in October 2006.
• The procedure for scheduling nurses to work on holidays that fall on weekends is clearly defined.

West Springfield School Nurses
West Springfield School Nurses continue to be in mediation.

Providence Hospital
Providence Hospital has begun planning for its upcoming negotiations.

VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson
VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson Inc. continues to have very successful membership meetings and has put out its first newsletter. The Hospice nurses continue to struggle with unreasonable scheduling by management and have received full support from colleagues and their non-union team members.

Mercy Hospital
Nurses ratified their contract and also updated its bylaws. Several grievances have been filed recently.