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30 » RNs in Motion Make a Difference in Your Facility GET INVOLVED FACILITY LEADERSHIP NNOC emphasizes building collective power in our facilities over individual representational methods. The Chief Nurse Representative/ Chief Shop Steward The chief nurse representative/chief shop steward is a designated nurse representative/shop steward elected at each facility whose responsibilities include providing leadership for facility-wide issues, recruiting and training nurse representatives/shop stewards, coordinating the nurse representatives'/shop stewards' activities with the NNOC labor representative, assisting members in processing grievances by serving as a representative, conducting grievance meetings, and attending Nurse Representative/Shop Steward Council meetings. The Nurse Representative/Shop Steward Your nurse representatives are the backbone of the union at your facility. The role of the nurse representative is to involve the members in your facility in the ongoing endeavor to protect the provisions of the contract and improve the conditions under which nurses work to provide quality care. Optimally, every shift and every unit should be covered by a nurse representative. The nurse representative acts on behalf of the interests of the RN members and the union. They can assist in your understanding of the contract. They also serve as an organizer and commu- nication link between RNs in the facility, accompany the nurse in any meeting that the nurse has reason to believe will result in discipline, and investigate and present grievances to management. The Nurse Representative/Shop Steward Council Every facility should have a Nurse Representative/ Shop Steward Council that comprises all the nurse representatives/shop stewards in the facility. The council meets on a regular basis in meetings chaired by the chief nurse representative/chief shop steward or their designee. The primary purposes of the council are to »› » Support the nurse representatives/shop stewards in their roles as organizers, educators, and advocates. » Share information about NNOC, the facility, grievances, and other matters relevant to advancing the interests of our members. » Develop organizing plans around grievances, bargaining, and NNOC and NNU programs. » Help mentor newly elected nurse representatives/ shop stewards. The Professional Practice Committee For more information on the Professional Practice Committee (PPC), and its role in your facility, please see page 20. Facility Bargaining Council The Facility Bargaining Council (FBC) is the crucial link between the contract negotiating team and all nurses in the bargaining unit, with representatives from every shift and unit. The FBC communicates with the nurses on their unit, making sure all nurses are informed about progress in negotiations. They also keep members engaged in the process, which is the key to securing a good contract. Negotiating Team The FBC elects the nurse negotiating team. The size of the team is based on the number of RNs in the bar- gaining unit at your facility. The elected nurse negotiating team and an NNOC labor representative sit across the table from management. NNOC provides orientation and training. The negotiating team keeps nurses informed through the distribution of regular bargaining updates. Hospital System Joint Bargaining NNOC has been successful at arranging for nurses within the same hospital chain to bargain together as a joint bargaining council for maximum collective power across the system. Additionally, joint bargaining allows us to standardize our best contract provisions for safe patient care. Current Joint Bargaining Councils »› » Dignity/CommonSpirit Health » HCA » Kaiser Permanente » Prime Healthcare » Providence St. Joseph Health » Sutter Health » Tenet Healthcare » University of California » Veterans Affairs