Bargaining unit updates

Franklin Medical Center
The bargaining unit at Baystate/Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield has been in negotiations since Halloween. The process has not been easy. Baystate chose to bring in an attorney from Jackson Lewis, the infamous anti-union law firm. Management has put a series of takeaways on the table. These go from backward steps in health insurance and on-call language to instituting a clinical ladder and censoring what material we can post about the MNA on hospital bulletin boards. While the bargaining unit has withdrawn a number of proposals to move the process along, so far management has made proposal withdrawals only with the acceptance of an unacceptable total package.

Mercy Medical Center
The Mercy Hospital nurses are involved in a tough round of negotiations. The hospital has put a series of language changes that would have a very serious effect on RNs ability to deliver quality health care. Management is proposing almost unlimited floating, cross training in various areas and the ability to “flex” (i.e. send nurses home) once a week. On top of this Mercy has placed a very poor wage proposal on the table.

Cooley Dickinson Hospital
The bargaining unit at Cooley Dickinson in Northampton made a decision this year that the negotiating committee should be paid for their time at the table. While in the past this has not been the case the nurses feel it’s a matter of respect. After two sessions, management has refused to pay the nurses. The RNs look forward to settling these issues so they can get on to the business of gaining an equitable contract. Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice The negotiations with the Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice have been moving along slowly since August. There is a completely new management team at the agency and at the table. The committee is hopeful that some of the positive discussions at recent sessions will lead to a new contract.

Baystate VNA & Hospice
The Baystate VNA & Hospice in Springfield opened negotiations for a new contract earlier this month. The primary issues on the table are wages and how the work is carried out. Management is proposing that all patient charting is completed by the end of the shift, while the nurses have a proposal to continue the longstanding practice of completing the charting within a day of the visit.

Whidden Hospital
Whidden Hospital in Everett has been in negotiations since October. The hospital is part of the Cambridge Health Alliance which recently announced it is on a pace to lose $27 million this year. This announcement has slowed the process and the focus is now shifting to working together with the other Cambridge Health Alliance bargaining units at Cambridge Hospital and Somerville Hospital. The Whidden committee plans to meet with the other units and the other unions in the hospital sometime in the near future to work out a coordinated effort.

Worcester School Nurses
The Worcester School Nurses carry on their fight to secure a new contract and have continued with mediation as a result. The issues of salary for nurses with degrees and national certification and finding a fair way to address health insurance are currently the bargaining unit’s biggest concerns.

West Springfield School Nurses
The city finally adjusted the salary for one nurse who had been “left behind” so to speak. She is now in line with her other colleagues in terms of salary scale.

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