National Nurses United

14 N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G A P R I L | M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 9 WRAP-UP REPORT California GOOD SAMARITAN LOS ANGELES registered nurses at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, Calif. overwhelm- ingly ratified a new three-year contract cover- ing 600 nurses. "I am so proud of the nurses who stood strong and were able to reach a contract that held the line against manage- ment's proposed takeaways," said Sandra Rodriguez, RN, and member of the union's negotiating team. "This contract respects and maintains RNs professional and economic standards and strengthens our ability to effectively advocate for our patients." The new agreement includes patient care and RN working conditions improvements, including protections from unsafe "floating" assignments to areas requiring specialty expertise and improved protections around mandatory overtime. The contract includes new language to protect against discrimina- tion and harassment on the job in relation to veteran status, gender identification, genetic condition, or pregnancy. RNs also received the hospital's commitment to minimize nurses' exposure to communicable diseases. HENRY MAYO NEWHALL HOSPITAL rns at henry mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, Calif. celebrated ratification of a new three-year collective bargaining agree- ment covering 650 nurses, strengthening their ability to protect patients and improve the hospital's recruitment and retention of experienced RNs. "The new agreement is a testament to what nurses united can achieve with strong advocacy and when we raise our collective voice," said Alyssa Ernstmeyer, an intensive care unit RN. "I am so proud of my colleagues who made a stand for what is right for our patients and our profession." Under the agreement, both management and RNs will establish an ad-hoc committee to work together to ensure all nurses receive their legally mandated meals and breaks. RNs also won greater access to union representa- tives, workplace violence protection language, and pay increases starting at 9 percent up to a maximum of 20 percent over the three-year term of the contract, among other provisions. "Our nurses are glad we reached an agreement, but were prepared to strike for their colleagues and patients," said Charles Lucero, an RN in the medical-surgical unit. "Thankfully, management removed the takeaways and negotiated in good faith." KINDRED HOSPITAL IN WESTMINSTER in may, nurses at Kindred Hospital in Westminster, Calif. reached a tentative contract agreement with management, featuring improvements and protections for both patients and nurses. If approved, the two-and-a-half-year contract covering 140 RNs would run through December 2021. "With this new tentative agreement, we won critical protections for our patients and for our colleagues, including educational opportunities to help us stay up to date in our training, and protections against work- place violence," said Clarissa Cruz, RN. Contract highlights include workplace violence prevention language in line with California law, an increase in paid education leave, support for licensed vocational nurses who want to become RNs, and wage increases of 4 percent the first year and 3 percent for each of the following years. PROVIDENCE LITTLE COMPANY OF MARY MEDICAL CENTER registered nurses at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year contract in June. "We are very proud of this accomplishment in achieving a union contract that sets the standards high for patient care, wages and benefits," said Julie Cullen, RN and chief nurse representative. "The unity of the San Pedro nurses is a testament to the dedica- tion and advocacy to their community." For the first time, RNs in the facility won floating clusters to ensure that safe staffing by competency is always maintained. The agreement also includes a newly created Specialty Float Pool, workplace violence protections, a rest period between shifts, and pay increase of 13.5 percent 13.5 percent over the term of the contract, with addition- al wage step and shift differential increases. PROVIDENCE SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER in june, registered nurses at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract, ending a long and protracted fight that included more than a year of bargain- ing, a one-day strike in November 2018, and a picket. "We've made great improvements in this contract to better protect our patients and staff," said Jack Cline, an RN in the medical surgical unit and member of the bargaining team. "RNs stayed united and did not let management divide us." The nurses won workplace violence protections, improved meal and rest break coverage, and a minimum of 9 percent increase in pay, with additional wage step and shift differential increases, among other gains. —Staff report NEWS BRIEFS From top: Nurses at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia, Calif. celebrate a new three-year contract; RNs working at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. vote to overwhelmingly approve a new three-year contract.

• Cover