National Nurses United

8 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 | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 MAINE H ealthcare workers with Hospice of Southern Maine (HSM) in Scarborough held a rally and informational picket on May 11 to protest HSM management's refusal to participate in good faith negotia- tions with them for a first contract. The group includes RNs, hospice aides, social workers, chaplains, and others. "Time is precious for our patients. They deserve an agreement that upholds the best conditions for their care, and they deserve it now. We're duty bound to protect our patients, and so we will keep standing up and speaking out until we reach a fair and just agreement," said Polly Pelletier, RN. HSM workers have been trying to reach a first contract since they successfully union- ized in May 2017. But employees say the process has been at a standstill, with HSM refusing to bargain in good faith, an asser- tion recently backed up by a ruling of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). In early May, HSM entered into a settle- ment agreement with the NLRB and Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United requiring management to cease violat- ing federal labor law and bargain in good faith. The settlement directs HSM to acknowl- edge and remedy its violations of national labor law. Specifically, the NLRB found that HSM has been engaging in unnecessary delay in responding to information requests and has failed and refused to provide infor- mation essential for the MSNA bargaining team to negotiate. The NLRB also found that HSM violated federal labor law by making a unilateral change to RNs' schedules. "Our community deserves safe, compas- sionate hospice care, provided in a safely staffed facility," said Pauli Juneau, RN, noting that staffing levels at the Gosnell House are so bad that HSM has closed six beds since 2017. "Management needs to improve work- ing conditions in order to recruit and retain the most experienced staff. There is often a waitlist, and in light of that wait, it's uncon- scionable that management would address short staffing and high employee turnover by simply closing beds." —Staff report Maine hospice nurses fighting to win first contract CALIFORNIA C iting their desire to improve patient care conditions, registered nurses at Stanford Health Care's ValleyCare Medical Center in Pleasanton, Calif. voted by 62 percent April 18 to join the California Nurses Associa- tion/National Nurses United. Overcoming a heavy-handed pressure campaign by management, in which the hospital employed two separate national anti-union consulting firms, IRI Consultants and H&H Consulting, the RNs voted in a secret ballot National Labor Relations Board election 188-114 for CNA, which will now represent 400 RNs at the Bay Area hospital. "With this vote, ValleyCare RNs have taken a strong stand for a workplace that is healthy for us and our patients," said RN Denise Mavrogianis. "We couldn't be happi- er about the opportunity to create a climate that will enhance patient care conditions and standards for our colleagues and our community." CNA Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, RN, welcomed the newly organized nurses. "Congratulations to the Valley- Care RNs," said Castillo. "Your vote to join with your CNA colleagues across the Bay Area and throughout California will have an enormous impact on your patients, your neighbors, and your colleagues. We are proud of your decision." Key issues for the RNs in voting for CNA were the desire for a stronger collective voice on patient care issues, especially in improving safe staffing based on the state's minimum nurse to patient ratios law and patient acuity. They are also seeking an end to unsafe assignment of RNs to clinical areas for which they do not have clinical expertise or experi- ence (floating), an end to mandatory over- time which can leave nurses dangerously fatigued, and competitive pay with other CNA-represented hospitals. Stanford acquired formerly independent ValleyCare in 2015. This will be the first union for the ValleyCare RNs, who next will move to elect colleagues to represent them for negotiations with management on their first collective bargaining agreement. "We, the ValleyCare RNs, are the union," said Cynthia Arambulo, RN. "This vote is about being pro-nurse and having a place at the table to make decisions that affect patient care and our practice at ValleyCare— and having a collective voice with CNA." —Staff report Stanford ValleyCare RNs go union NEWS BRIEFS

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