Today was our fourth negotiation session with management of SMDC. After meeting for over a month, they finally responded to some of our proposals. In response to our proposal which gives nurses the ability to temporarily close a unit to admissions due to unsafe staffing situations the answer was loud and clear NO.
Jerry Zanko director of employee and labor relations at SMDC said “I have no interest in agreeing to language that isn’t worth the paper it is written on!” Zanko’s response to whether or not they would have a counter proposal next week was ‘perhaps’.
Management proposed language that would have taken four long time nurses out of the contract. They withdrew that proposal today yet said they reserve the right to move nurses as they want. This is clear they will try if we let them to move contract nurses into the non union areas.
Their response to our proposal allowing non contract RN’s the ability to organize into MNA with us in a neutral environment was NO!
Steve Strand RN MICU Assistant Head Nurse, MNA Chair SMDC: “After a long discussion and meeting with management for over a month they referred to talking about staffing issues as wearisome. This is worrisome for us as nurses and our patients. The fact that we have talked about it for years and they are wearisome proves staffing is an unresolved issue. Nurses have to stand together to resolve staffing with our contract this time!”
Overall today their answer was NO!
We need move forward with our action for safe staffing and the strongest possible contract. Nurses need to show up in the cafeterias of Miller Dwan and St. Mary’s this week to vote on our next steps.
On June 29th
Voting is from 0630-0800 and 11-130 in the Miller Dwan cafeteria and 430-630 in the St. Mary’s cafeteria.
On July 1st
Voting is from 630-8 am and 11-130 in the St. Mary’s cafeteria and 430-630 in the Miller Dwan cafeteria.