National Nurses United

extra shift bonuses to help mitigate the ongo- ing staffing crisis. "We are asking for safe, scheduled staffing and for CCH to stop delay- ing negotiated pay for our nurses," stated Langford. "Withholding negotiated increases can be perceived as a method to further the staffing crisis at CCH…We believe if we can get these pay issues resolved and negotiate extra shift bonuses, it would offer some relief and flexibility in the staffing crisis at CCH." Due to the relentless pressure from nurses, CCH human resources finally admit- ted that they did not have enough people in the finance department to calculate pay scales and differentials to process the checks. HR asked nurses to wait until the fall because the department was short-staffed. That was unacceptable to the nurses. "We continued to bring it up at board meetings, committee meetings, and PPC meetings," said Langford, who has worked for Cook County for 26 years. "Finally, HR hired more people and we started getting the money in phases in April." By June, all nurses had received their retention pay. Five months later, they were victorious in winning extra-shift bonuses. The agreement on the bonuses was in the process of being executed and rolled out in November, just in time for the holidays. Chuleenan Svetvilas is a communications specialist at National Nurses United. O C T O B E R | N O V E M B E R | D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 4 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 N A T I O N A L N U R S E 15 Tips for winning a campaign "Don't give up," said Brenda Langford, RN, PPC member, chief nurse representative at Chicago's Stroger Hospital, and an NNOC board member. "It does take time to win a campaign, and it can take multiple cam- paigns to hold management accountable. You have to try different ways to accom- plish a goal. Share ideas and techniques so everyone can be engaged." Nurses need to be proactive to make management do what they are supposed to do, notes Langford. Utilize every resource you have in your arsenal of tools to keep multiple units engaged and take the fight in multiple directions: • filling out assignment despite objection forms • raising issues at PPC meetings • handing out flyers • wearing statement stickers • marching on the boss • gathering signatures for petitions • holding internal actions • protesting outside the hospital, and more. "Solidarity works," said Langford. "We're stronger together." ABOVE: Michelle Gutierrez Vo, RN (left) and Cook County Health nurses marching to CCH board meeting. BELOW: Nurses at CCH board meeting in March.

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