Today was our sixth negotiation session with management of SMDC.
It was our first day with a federal mediator. Management did not say that staffing is a problem at SMDC. We told two very heartfelt staffing stories and there was no acknowledgement of the severity of the problem this creates for us as nurses and our patients. We asked what we could do to convince management that staffing is a problem. We were told that staffing is not a problem.
“I won’t say there is a problem or there isn’t a problem.” Mary Beth Olson said in response to our staffing discussion. In order to move forward we need to have a commitment from management that staffing needs to be fixed in our contract.
As MNA we presented our economic proposal and management responded with one paragraph.
We were told that ‘management reserves its right to add, delete or modify proposals throughout the course of these negotiations.’
When Bettye Shogren the lead negotiator for MNA asked if management’s economic proposal meant there would be no raises. The answer was “We are satisfied with where things are today.”
Management’s satisfaction with the way things are today is exactly why we need to remain united! What’s next?
- Come to the next Contract Action team meeting Thursday 7/22 at the Labor Temple from 1:00-2:30 pm and 4:00-5:30 pm.
- Sign up for the August 3rd St. Luke’s informational picket with your contract action team or bargaining team member.
- Prepare for a vote on the contract or a one-day strike vote August 18th from 6:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. The August 18th vote will take place at the United Methodist Church, known as “The Coppertop,” 230 E. Skyline Parkway.