National Nurses United

NewsBriefsJuly 2006 7/25/06 7:47 PM Page 10 NewsBriefs Palomar Pomerado Settles Contract bout 2,200 registered nurses and other caregivers represented by CNA/NNOC and its affiliate union, the Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union, voted in late June to approve a new contract with Palomar Medical Center and Pomerado Hospital that provides significant compensation improvements and other patient care protections. Under the new three-year contract, RNs at the two northern San Diego County hospitals, part of the Palomar Pomerado Health hospital district, will receive average salary increases of more than 18 percent. Members of CHEU, which include other caregivers and employees such as medical technicians, will receive average increases of more than 15 percent over the contract. All workers under these contracts secured improvements that will increase pay based on years of employment. The hospital district, the largest in California, also agreed to increase contributions to retirement plans for employees with 15 years or more of service, and to start matching contributions to a 401(k)-style plan, with different rates depending on years of employment. "It's a great day for our profession and our patients," said Linda Phillips, an operating room RN. "This contract provides incentive for people to join the nursing profession and encourages RNs to remain at the bedside." RNs achieved several other major provisions. One includes a "zero lift" policy to ensure that providers have, the proper help and equipment to avoid maneuvering patients manually, reducing the risk of hurting themselves and their patients. Another is a better floating policy to prohibit the assignment of RNs to units where they do not have sufficient expertise or orientation. RNs will also have a say in the implementation of new technology and that these systems will support, not override, their ability to exercise clinical judgment. —staff report A CALIFORNIA 10 REGISTERED NURSE KAISER BARGAINING UPDATE B argaining with Kaiser Permanente for nearly 15,000 RNs and NPs began June 13 with the nurse negotiating team exchanging proposals with management. "What's critical is that they respond to the proposals we put forward, and deal with the real issues facing RNs and NPs every day," said Deborah Burger, chair of the RN bargaining team and CNA/NNOC President. The first priority for Kaiser nurses is keeping their CNA/NNOC representation in the face of an expected decision from the National Labor Relations Board. The Bush administration-dominated, anti-union board has said they will issue a ruling this summer; many expect that the ruling could allow employers to classify charge nurses— and potentially all nurses—as supervisors. Current federal regulations state that supervisors have no right to organize. In addition, nurses are demanding improved staffing levels and protections in the contract for staffing ratios, better pen- sion and retiree health provision, and other measures to improve patient care and allow Kaiser to recruit and retain the registered nurses and nurse practitioners that it needs. Kaiser management presented a few proposals, some of them dealing with aspects of RN recruiting. Kaiser indicated that they were waiting on CNA/NNOC proposals to better integrate how they would respond. "I think they were surprised by the breadth of our proposals and all the work we put in," said Monica Smith-Braun, an RN bargaining team member from Santa Clara. Negotiations will continue at Kaiser July 7 and run through the end of August. The contract expires August 31. —staff report Notice to Non-Members R egardless of whether the collective bargaining agreement between your employer and CNA/NNOC says that you are required to be a member, the only thing which you must do as a condition of continued employment is to pay service fees to CNA/NNOC. You have the right to be a nonmember, but non-members forfeit the many rights and benefits of CNA/NNOC membership. CNA/NNOC charges non-members the same amount in service fees as members pay in dues, but non-members are given an opportunity to object to funding certain expenditures by CNA/NNOC which are not germane to CNA/NNOC's role as your exclusive collective bargaining representative and to have their fees reduced based on those activities. Non-members have the right to be given sufficient information to enable them to make an informed decision on whether to object and to be told about CNA/NNOC's procedures for filW W W. C A L N U R S E S . O R G ing objections. Based on a review of the audited financial statement for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005, it has been determined that expenditures chargeable to non-members who object to funding non-representational activities is 92.37% of the regular membership dues rate. If you want to object to funding certain expenditures by CNA/NNOC which are not germane to CNA/NNOC's role as your exclusive collective bargaining representative for the one-year period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007, you must notify CNA/NNOC of your objection in writing and your objection must be received within 35 days from the date of receipt of the issue of Registered Nurse containing this notice. Remember that choosing not to become a member of CNA/NNOC means that you will not have the right to vote on your contract or in union elections or to help formulate proposals for your next contract. J U LY 2 0 0 6

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