National Nurses United

NEWS BRIEFS St. Louis University RNs win first contract MISSOURI egistered nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital (SLUH) have won their firstever collective bargaining agreement with a new three-year contract that provides for significant improvements in patient care protections, compensation, and job protections. The settlement was ratified by SLUH RNs in June and covers some 600 nurses, who are represented National Nurses Organizing Committee-Missouri (NNOCMissouri). With the agreement, SLUH is now the only St. Louis hospital where RNs have a union contract. Nurses at Des Peres, who like SLUH RNs also voted to join NNOCMissouri last June, are presently negotiating with that hospital on a first contract as well. "Nurses are thrilled to have a contract that improves our ability to advocate for our patients and recruit and retain quality nurses," said Carmen Moorehead, an RN at SLUH for 38 years and negotiating team R 8 N AT I O N A L N U R S E member. "We have laid the foundation for a better future." At SLUH, the agreement includes several important provisions that will strengthen patient protections, say nurses. These include a ban on mandatory overtime, limits on the practice of assigning RNs to work in hospital areas for which they do not have specialty expertise, and the formation of a professional practice committee of direct-care RNs elected by their colleagues to meet with management to discuss and resolve patient care concerns. The pact also specifies that the hospital will not implement new technology that undermines RN professional judgment, and that it will be subject to review by the RNs' patient care committee.  All SLUH RNs will receive across-theboard pay increases of between 8.5 and 9.5 percent over the years of the pact. Wage rates will be improved as well for new hires in a contract that nurses expect will greatly help recruitment as well as retention of RNs at the hospital. Nurses who work holidays will be paid at time and a half their regular pay rate, a significant step beyond most St. Louis-area pay schedules. W W W. N AT I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G Another critical achievement for the RNs was holding the line on health coverage costs. At a time when employers, including many in the healthcare industry, are shifting more out-of-pocket costs for health benefits onto employees, SLUH RNs won't see additional deductibles, copays, or pay a higher percentage of their premiums. Among the other firsts achieved in this contract by SLUH nurses are provisions to protect their workplace rights, including greater advance notice of work schedules, improved procedures for layoffs and schedule cancellations, and just-cause language and a grievance process to ensure fair treatment in the event of discipline. "This is a historic achievement for St. Louis nurses that will set a standard for all St. Louis RNs, patients, and the entire community in strengthening patient protections, workplace rights, and improved healthcare for the region," said NNU Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro, a native of St. Louis. "Congratulations to the St. Louis University Hospital RNs. We're proud of you." —Staff report JUNE 2013

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