Management gave our Bargaining Team what they called their final proposal during bargaining on July 21. The offer is exactly the same as management’s initial economic offer.
- Freeze existing employee wages at current rates for two years (no step raises)
- No across-the-board raises
- Lower wage scales 3 percent in 2011 and another 3 percent in 2012
- Lower Charge RN pay for new and relief charge RNs
What this means is that Tarzana RNs and Professionals won’t receive any raises — no wage increases and no step increases. It also means that our wage scale that we fought so hard for over the years will be reduced by a total of 6 percent by 2012. So any new RNs hired in 2012 and beyond will be making 6 percent less than an RN who worked at Tarzana in 2010.
What’s Providence’s reason for lowering the wage scale? It’s not that they are struggling financially. We believe it’s because Providence wants reimbursement for purchasing Tarzana from Tenet, something that Providence could not have accomplished if Tarzana RNs and Professionals had not supported them.
Or, it could just be that Providence gives no reward for being the best at what you do. “The realities are, the nurses are very well paid here,” said Providence Attorney and Lead Negotiator Doug Hart during Thursday’s bargaining.
What’s Next?
Our Bargaining Team will meet August 1 to come up with alternative economic proposals to present to Providence management at their next bargaining date on August 4. Our team has already agreed to freeze wages for two years. But, we won’t sign off on a contract that decimates the wage scales we fought so hard for over so many years.
If we can’t convince Providence to change their direction, then our team will come to the membership for votes on an informational picket or possibly even as a last resort, a strike.