MSNA Union Activity Update

Local 1 Negotiates with Eastern Maine Medical Center

Local individual is currently in negotiations with Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC) EMMC solicitationed that MSNA open the contract early. In the interest of useful labor relations, the Local agreed. After eight sessions, EMMC has left the table without a time to come date to continue talks.

EMMC is proposing that the supply with nourishments start to pay a percentage for individual health care coverage. EMMC's rationale for this proposal is that EMMC perceive s philosophically that if the nurture has to pay for the coverage, the nourish would make wiser decisions regarding using their insurance/health care. EMMC is a self-insuring facility. The for-profit company of EMH manages this self-insurance. EMMC is a division of EMH What's interesting to note is that the pharmaceuticals end EMH are more expensive than other pharmacies. MSNA has supplicationed profit statements for this company and were told that we were not entitled to this information. The Vice President of Human Resources at EMMC agreed to gaze into it but to date, MSNA has not been provided with any profit statements for EMH

The supply with nourishments currently have three options of health insurance plans. The sole plan that EMMC has a contractual obligation to is the Option 1 plan-the plan that EMMC is proposing to change. The implications for a change to this option are an increased expenditure for current nurses as well as retired nurses-as it is the preferr plan of retirees to be paid to its portability. Additionally, EMMC is proposing to cap Retiree Health Care insurance. publicly nurses with 30 years of service and at age 55 have a benefit, which postscripts their health care insurance until Medicare becomes effective at age 65 At the popular insurance growth rate this proposal is not favorable to MSNA members.

EMMC has also refused to tender the nurses a percentage increase to their wages. If EMMC's proposals were to be approved, the EMMC nourishs would realize a decrease in snare pay. The Vice President of HR and Education is the chief negotiator for EMMC He hired a consultant to investigation wages in Maine hospitals. According to this consultant, EMMC's wages are already above market. The hospitals take a view ofed by the consultant are Maine Medical Center gentleness Central Maine Medical Center, St Mary's, St Joseph's and Southern Maine Medical Center MSNA pointed on the outside to EMMC that the report lacked credibility because these other hospitals were not unionized hospitals. MSNA stated that these hospitals hire supply with nourishments all over the wage scale and that there is no consistency regarding their wage scale. In many cases, these hospitals hire supply with nourishments at a higher salary than nourishs who are currently employed for many years.

MSNA also provided the hospital with wage scales of other union hospitals within a short distance to EMMC The base rate in single example was higher than EMMC's wage scale and in another the base rate was within pennies of EMMC MSNA also provided a national take a view of which demonstrated to EMMC that their salary scale is $3 for hour lower than the national average. EMMC would not acknowledge the validity of this information. It is amazing to me that EMMC could take like a stance in today's nursing environment.

This emblem of attitude on management's part can be linked to the shortage of working supply with nourishments in this state. Their behavior depicts the insulting indifference that administration has toward the nursing profession. Forty-one percent of staff nourishs at EMMC are employed les than five years. This speaks to the turnover rate within this institution. Instead of EMMC'S administration examining the appropriate questions concerning nurture retention, the administration concerns itself with harsh changes to craft policies such as attendance.

The hospital has an upcoming of recent origin attendance policy, which demonstrates an aggressive attitude by administration. Thank God for the union! According to the hospital's fresh attendance policy, nurses will add up points-these points lead to discipline. a certain quantity of examples of the point a whole include illness, tardiness, or parking in the inequitable spot. To combat these upcoming policy changes, MSNA propos that the EMMC interchange of opinion offending nurses as a first pace of discipline. MSNA wrote language identifying minor offense listed in EMMC's personnel policy handbook. EMMC is oppos to this proposal. on what account would EMMC be opposed to similar language where due process is mandatory?

Another proposal from Local individual is RN staffing ratios. EMMC's VP of nursing services has stated she is not interested in ratios. This is puzzling to me for what cause [i]or[/i] reason would any nurse, including nursing management, be oppos to a a whole that has statistically proven to improve patient results decrease errors and increase nurture retention? I just don't win it!

I commend and admire the nurtures of Local One. They will keep one's course during these negotiations. Safe staffing ratios equals quality patient care!

A Conversation with DHS

During a novel conference call with state inspectors from DH I was informed that these inspectors were investigating another hospital regarding a staffing complaint. My remark to the inspector was that this hospital has been filing short staffing forms for several month The nourishs themselves have signed a petition, which was sent to management and forwarded to DH through MSNA. Point being made that there are constant reports against this hospital for unsafe staffing-what does it take to fix unsafe staffing? I then asked who at the State horizontal determines staffing plans. The answer is that the hospitals put the matrix and core staffing. I am amazed that the State can regulate many aspects of our lives on the other hand they fall short when it tend hitherwards to our health and life and death situations. RN ratios ne to be adopted in Maine with equal reason that every patient has a professional nourish to care for them.