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Grievances and Unit Issues
The grievance regarding understaffing on 4 Wollman was heard on 8/19. The Union made its position clear, and management agreed to increase the number of budgeted positions on the unit.
Problems in the ER continue. The contractual staffing standard of 10 RNs on both days and nights has frequently been violated. A grievance regarding this chronic understaffing was heard on 8/4. Rather than admit to blatant violations, the hospital would like us to believe that an average staffing level of 8.7 RNs on nights (as opposed to the required level of 10) constitutes 87% compliance with the contract. Needless to say, the delegates have voted to take this case to arbitration.
The Union has filed a class action grievance on behalf of all RNs who float to the ER and are given assignments inconsistent with their clinical competencies.The good news is that there have been recent hires into the ER, which should eventually reduce the daily reliance on supplementation.
Hurricane Relief
Since we had difficulties obtaining a permit for the annual picnic, the Executive Board voted unanimously to donate the funds designated for that event to the relief effort. Habitat for Humanity will receive $4,000 with an additional $4,000 going to Americares, which sends medical personnel to disaster areas.
Infection Control Recertification
The Executive Board has eliminated the $15 fee for infection control recertification. All members can renew their certification on the NYPNU web site at no cost (www.nypnu.org). Click on the “Members Only” section.
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Survey
Julie Sadler, a Ph.D. candidate from Cornell University will mail her membership participation survey to NYPNU members later this month. It will arrive in a Cornell University envelope. Julie will analyze the data as part of her dissertation research and will share the aggregate results with the union. Please take the time to fill the survey out. Your feedback will help to maximize NYPNU’s strength and our responsiveness to your needs.
Compliance with the Grievance Procedure
The Union continues to have tremendous difficulty scheduling grievances with management. Our attorney is encountering the same difficulties in his attempts to schedule arbitrations. When management finally does accept an arbitration date, they frequently cancel within a week of the hearing, as was the case with the 8 Uris arbit-ration scheduled for September 23rd. The next scheduled arbitration involves the Hospital’s refusal to provide a monitor nurse on telemetry floors as mandated by the contract. The Hospital is seeking to avoid a hearing on the merits in this case by contesting its arbitrability. We will discuss our options for addressing this ongoing problem at the annual membership meeting.
Save the date!
Annual Membership Meeting
Wednesday, November 2nd
Elections for Officers, Executive Board members and Delegates will be held. If you are interested in running for a position, please pick up a petition at the Union office. Petitions are due on October 21st. Under the NYPNU Constitution, nominations can be taken from the floor only if fewer than seven (7) candidates for Executive Board or eighteen (18) candidates for Delegate have submitted valid petitions.
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