Grievances

• NYPNU is defending an ER nurse who was unjustly disciplined for failing to provide a verbal report on a patient who was admitted to a general med/surg floor. In accordance with the Hospital's current policy, the nurse had faxed a written report and called the unit to verify that the fax was received. In the last round of bargaining, the Union attempted to require full verbal reports in all cases out of patient safety concerns, but management, in the interest of throughput, refused to agree. Now they have disciplined a nurse for following the policy on which they had insisted. The third step grievance hearing took place on 9/21/07, and we are awaiting management's response.
• The union and management are attempting to settle a class action grievance regarding management's failure to rotate charge responsibilities in the ER. The contract requires that charge/resource responsibilities be rotated equitably among non-probationary staff who have completed one year of service (Article XXVIII). Some senior ER nurses have been excluded from the charge rotation while others have never been trained to perform the role. The proposed settlement would involve training all qualified ER nurses to assume the role of charge nurse. If we reach a settlement, the arbitration scheduled for October 12th will be postponed.

NYPNU Update by e-mail

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e-mail? If not, call the NYPNU office with your e-mail address or send it to Greenfeld@nypnu.org. Don't be left out of the loop.

Sick Time Payout

Management has yet to come through with an acceptable proposal for paying out unused sick time. The Union has requested the data to develop a counterproposal, but it has not been provided. As time passes, it is less and less likely that it will be possible to implement a plan in the 2007 calendar year.

Attendance Excellence Incentive Drawing

The drawings for the five $2,500 cash awards for exemplary attendance during the first six months of 2007 will be on Friday, September 28th at 2:00pm in Weisner 203. All NYPNU RNs are invited to attend. The names of the 271 eligible nurses were included in the Pink Sheet dated 7/26/07. Nurses with perfect attendance will have two chances to win. Winners who are not present at the drawing will be notified by phone and by mail.

Staffing Forms

Have you ever needed a NYPNU Staffing Documentation form and been unable to find one? Staff Documentation Forms and Unsafe Staffing Forms are available on the NYPNU web site. Click here.

Union Strength

It is often said that the Union is as strong as its members, but what does that mean? In essence, it means that the Union's strength derives from the members' willingness to take action on their own behalf. If the contract is being violated, you should bring it to the Union leadership's attention, but don't stop there. Work with your co-workers and the Union leadership to identify the source of the problem, develop solutions and demand that management take action.