National Nurses United

4 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 M A R C H 2 0 1 5 NEWS BRIEFS NATIONAL N nu's national Nurses Organiz- ing Committee National Leader- ship Council of unions in HCA-affiliated hospitals is truly a national division, and a large one at that. The council represents some 8,500 RNs working in 19 HCA Healthcare facilities in six states. Sixteen of the 19 facilities are in anti-union, open-shop states where nurses are forbidden by state law from negotiating real union security. All but two long-time San Jose, Calif.-based unions are newly organized since 2010, and settled their first contracts just three years ago. This year, all 17 first contracts protecting some 7,000 nurses are being renegotiated. The Leadership Council has long been laying the foundation for a strong and unified group of HCA nurses. The council meets in Tampa, Fla. quarterly to coordinate campaigns that are common to all facilities, such as protecting just-cause rights, limiting hospitals' scheduling "flexibility" which causes cuts in staffing and pay for nurses, and enforcing hospital compliance with proper staffing levels. The group issues a national bulletin to strengthen coordina- tion, and each facility union distributes its own monthly flyer reviewing what the union has accomplished in the previous month. Important grievance settlements are report- ed by RNs at each council meeting, and plans are made for additional common actions. Council meeting time is often set aside to engage in street demonstrations that educate the public about the issues of the day, including the lack of hospital preparedness to treat Ebola patients and the high level of workplace assaults and injuries among nurses and other healthcare workers. One year ago, the council began prepara- tions for this year's contract bargaining. Bargaining goals were set and brought back to all facilities for further discussion. Bargaining strategies were considered and chosen, including strike action as necessary. A plan of escalating activities and actions was put in place to begin prior to the negotiations and continuing until settlement is reached. Some 17 RN negotiating committees were elected and a series of planning sessions held around the country. Nurse negotiators decid- ed which proposals they will present to the hospitals, and NNOC crafted an overall opening statement that lays out top goals for this round of bargaining. Higher wages and better staffing lead the list. The 17 contracts will be bargained at 10 tables in Las Vegas; Kansas City, Mo.; Over- land Park, Kan.; El Paso, Corpus Christi, and Brownsville in Texas; and at four loca- tions in Florida. The National Leadership Council coordinates the bargaining with tight communication between tables and a weekly Saturday morning conference call with one member from each of the 17 committees. Union nurses have been busy encouraging their colleagues to endorse NNOC's key bargaining goals by signing the goals and wearing a button in support of the 2015 contract. Negotiations opened on March 3 and 4 at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. table. The Florida and Kansas City contracts will expire on May 31, while Texas and Las Vegas contracts expire on June 30. The National Leadership Council will meet again on May 7 in Tampa. —Ed Bruno HCA RNs ready for 2015 bargaining

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