With the help of a federal mediator, our 121RN Bargaining Team was able to complete hammering out a Tentative Agreement with Providence St. Joseph management on Friday, Dec. 2. Our Union team was able to make compromises with management to prevent huge losses, gain an acceptable wage package and prevent the destruction of our successful Clinical Ladder program.
“Some of our decisions during negotiations were influenced by the possibility of layoffs of RNs or our support staff. We did everything we could to maintain our contract and not risk jobs at the same time.”
Kevin MacVane, RN, Bargaining Team Member
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Ratification Vote
Tuesday, Dec. 6 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lockheed A _________________________________________________
Wages
Year 1: 2 percent lump sum payment to all RNs except those who are scheduled to receive a step increase. Per diems will receive a 1 percent lump sum payment.
Year 2: 1 percent increase to the wage scale plus step raises for those RNs scheduled to receive them. RNs above scale will not receive any increase in wages. Per diems will receive a 1 percent lump sum payment.
Year 3: Same as year two, except no lump sum payment or wage increase for per diem RNs.
PTO
Remains the same for all except 72-hour RNs will decrease from 1.0 FTE to .9 FTE and accrue PTO/ESL accordingly. Those affected will receive a lump sum payment equal to one year’s difference in the PTO accrual. RNs with 0 to 5 years experience will receive 16 hours, 6 to 10 will receive 20 hours, and 11+ years will get 24 hours. Providence says this is a regional change within the Providence system and that 72-hour RNs will retain full-time status regarding all other benefits.
Clinical Ladder
Management originally wanted to completely dismantle and change the Clinical Ladder program we worked so hard over so many years to develop and maintain. Our Union will maintain control of the Clinical Ladder through the Clinical Ladder Committee, will retain the ability to have 15 Resource RNs who will be paid and earn points for assisting in education, reviewing portfolios, and helping other RNs with reaching their Clinical Ladder goals. The Clinical Ladder will, however, convert from an activity to points-based program.
Healthcare Benefits
The HMO plan will continue to be free in 2012 if the employee and spouse/partner complete a Wellness Assessment. Dependents are not required to fill out the Wellness Assessment. Whether the free HMO will be offered in future years is unknown but we have included a clause that, if cost to the employee will increase more than 10 percent, the hospital will negotiate over the impact. Those on the PPO plan will receive a credit of $500 for employee and $1,000 for employee and spouse/partner for filling out the Wellness Assessment. Complete assessments by the end of December or risk a decreased credit.
Flexing and Call-Off
Those who volunteer for call-off will now be officially inserted into the rotation for flexing and call-off.
6-2 Program
RNs currently participating in the 6-2 Program will be grandfathered in and allowed to continue with the schedule. However, 6-2 RNs may no longer work SRP during their month off, and once an RN leaves the program, he/she may not return to it.
Discipline
The number of days management can suspend an RN for disciplinary investigations will be decreased from 10 to 7 days.
Certification Bonuses
Certification bonuses will be paid upon initial certification and in years that the certification is renewed.
Holiday Scheduling
Our team achieved parity by negotiating that day shift RNs will work one day of either Christmas or New Year’s, and night shift RNs will work either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve.
Pension & Education
Our team negotiated maintenance of our current pension plan and educational payments.