In the fourth bargaining session for the 2014-2017 contract, Local 1991 made several proposals, including full restoration of steps and all other concessions and a 2% COLA in each year of the contract.
Management continued to claim it cannot afford to turn steps back on, but stood behind a previously offered 2% bonus and 2% raises for those eligible when their steps are due.
“We recognize we made a commitment,” said Jackson CFO Mark Knight. “We recognize that we’re coming back and saying we can’t fund that agreement. We are here today to talk about how we can get to the middle ground.”
President Martha Baker, RN, emphasized that Jackson’s nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals want to keep the hospital financially sound. That’s why the union has spent so much time and effort pointing out how millions can be saved by intelligently investing in staff, better processes and operations.
“We want to make Jackson sustainable for the future,” she said.
In addition to the major salary proposals, the Local 1991 bargaining team proposed:
- Pay equity on shift differential for professionals and RNs
- Voluntary Early Out and Partial PL counts toward overtime
- Several common sense requirements for floating nurses, including appropriate cross-training, checklists, experience level and other measures
- Clarification on the probationary period for part time employees
- Inclusion of on-call pool professionals who average at least 20 hours a week into the Professional bargaining unit
- Improvements to the disciplinary timeline
- Per Diem RN’s get access to grievance procedure, just cause, progressive discipline, differentials, and educational leave
In our efforts to work toward a better, more affordable healthcare plan, our team also handed across standards for access to care to make all healthcare options better.
On Aug. 28, Local 1991 doctors met with management to receive their proposal, which included an across-the-board raise in lieu of returning concessions.
The next bargaining sessions are scheduled for Sept. 12, 23 and 29 for RNs and professionals and Sept. 15 for attending physicians.