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We started negotiations with HCA in June, fully loaded with creative proposals designed to fix problems and make improvements in areas our members said were their priorities. Your bargaining team is pushing for safer staffing, protection from violence, recruitment and retention, and compensation that reflects the value you bring to the hospital.

After all this time, management should have made some effort to work toward a common goal. Instead, they’ve delayed, ignoring the urgency of problems mounting in the hospital day by day. In nearly every area we’ve sought to make change, management has repeated a phrase that has become their mantra: ”We want CCL” (Current Contract Language).

ON ECONOMICS:
Our bargaining team waited patiently for a full month for management’s response to our economic proposal. Our proposal was a sensible and realistic starting point—aimed at getting us close to a settlement members could accept. Management said they appreciated that, then hit us with a counter of 3% per year. They are aware that Nurses and Professionals feel undervalued–which will lead to staff departures and a downward spiral for patient safety.

Yet, their proposal included zero increases to any differentials, certification pay or any other non-economic articles that would make things better or more consistent for us and rejected just about every other non-economic proposal that we identified as important.

ON HEALTH AND SAFETY:
We’ve proposed dozens of articles designed to improve patient and staff safety. We’ve pushed for tighter visitor screening, stronger support from security personnel, and better house-wide communication during a crisis.

We proposed language to ensure Nurses aren’t flexed off when they could be providing breaks and meal breaks to their tired coworkers. “We don’t want to be told what to do,” they said.

We called for stronger protections for staff who speak out about patient safety problems. “We have a process in place for that,” they said.

HCA has refused to engage with any of the solutions. Instead, they say, the CBA “isn’t the place to address safety,” even though every single thing we’ve proposed is a subject of your working conditions.

We’ve been at the table too long to play games. HCA is counting on your fear and apathy, so make sure to wear your buttons proudly. Show them strength and unity instead.