Throughout the last 3-year contract term for Providence Tarzana RNs and Professionals, numerous issues came to light and grievances were filed. Because the employees brought these issues to our Union’s attention, the Bargaining Team was able to fight for contract language that will hopefully put an end to some of the issues and problems. The team was able to stop many take-aways that management proposed, from Clinical Ladder to destruction of the wage scale. The Bargaining Team is proud of the Tentative Agreement (TA) they put together and what it adds and maintains.
SEIU 121RN Bargaining Team: Jim Owen, RN, PACU; Sandy Thompson, RN, ER; Karen Pelone, RN, L&D; Kathy Parlevliet, RN, CVICU; Sue Stephens, RN, NICU; Joanna Tan, Clinical Lab.
More Info Meetings
October 7 & 8 6 to 8 p.m. NCR 3 0r 4
Ratification Vote
Wednesday, Oct. 9 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Table outside of cafeteria
Employee Benefits
The 121RN team was insistent on maintaining health benefits at current levels without increased costs. Members won’t have to worry about any increases in premiums or 0ut-of-pocket costs in 2014, and in 2015 increases are limited to no more than 10 percent on a blended average basis.
- Retained health incentive funding for 2014 and 2015. This pays $700 for the employee and up to $1,400 for the employee plus dependents in the HSA or HRA account, and $400 employee and $800 employee plus dependents in the HMO plan.
Wages
This was a hard-fought win by the Bargaining Team. After accepting a wage freeze in their last contract, the 121RN team would accept nothing except an acceptable wage increase for dedicated Tarzana employees. They scrutinized every cost and every avenue to come up with this part of the agreement.
2013: Up to 1/2 percent bonus which would be paid upon ratification to anyone who didn’t receive a step increase in July 2013 and/or received less than 1/2 percent in July 2013.
2014 and 2015
- The wage scale will increase by 1 percent, allowing everyone to receive at least a 1 percent increase.
- 1 percent increase for anyone who is currently above scale.
- 4 percent – Full-time and part-time employees whose base hourly wage is below their appropriate step will receive an increase of up to a maximum of 4 percent to bring them closer to, but not to exceed, the appropriate step rate.
- Evening differential will increase to $3.25 per hour and night differential will go up to $4.25 per hour.
- RNs with less than one year of experience will earn the “start rate” and the new grad rate will be eliminated.
- The Union stopped management’s attempt to eliminate both the “in-lieu of” benefits payments to employees who waive health insurance benefits, and the “pay option,” which would have impacted long-term RNs.
- Case managers who receive their ACM Certificate will receive a 5 percent wage increase effective Oct. 1, 2015.
Clinical Ladder
Management wanted all RNs to start fresh at Clinical Nurse I in the new Clinical Ladder program. This would have resulted in many RNs losing wages. With nurses under attack, our Union fought for and won the right for all RNs to be “grandparented” in at their current level so there is no reduction in Clinical Ladder levels. Employees can apply for new Clinical Ladder levels May 1 and increase their base pay from 5 to 16.3 percent.
While this is not a complete list, other agreements that were made include:
- More equitable distribution of shifts.
- Ability to request vacation time at any time – employees no longer must schedule vacations a year in advance.
- A limited amount of education benefit funds may be used to repay student loans.
- Per diem agreement changes for Professionals regarding minimum shift requirements, holiday / department closure requirements, scheduling and call-offs.
- Limitations to when an employee may be put on investigatory suspension.
- In response to long-standing concerns by NICU RNs, these RNs will now only be assigned to patients 3 months of age and younger unless there are severe overriding circumstances.