Bargaining unit updates
VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson, Inc. continues to hold dinner meetings in order to prepare for contract negotiations.

The Worcester School Nurses have started negotiations for a successor agreement. They are also paying close attention to a move by the community clinics to obtain more state funding despite the fact that they see fewer students and cannot administer over-the-counter medications. The MNA’s department of legislation is actively involved with this situation.

The MNA nurses at Mercy Hospital recently held elections for new officers. A nurse who had her termination overturned by an arbitrator has returned to work this month after much maneuvering by the hospital to prevent her return. After recent reports of problems in the med/surg units, the MNA and the hospital jointly sponsored a seminar focused on preventing violence in the workplace. The seminar was open to all employees at Mercy and it was well attended.

The committee at Providence Hospital continues to meet regularly and also attends monthly labor/management meetings.