After starting Nurses Week with a recap of how far we’d come in the year since last Nurses Week, thousands of UNAC/UHCP nurses employed by Kaiser got a special Nurses Week gift–a Tentative Agreement on a fantastic new contract. Details are forthcoming. We have a photo gallery of the UNAC/UHCP celebrations that took place all over Southern California. Read all about it!
During Nurses Week on May 6-12, we thank our strongest advocates for patients: Registered Nurses. Thank you for all that you do for this union!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2012
Contact: Jeff Rogers
UNAC/UHCP Public Affairs Specialist
Cell: 909-263-7230 • Office: 909-451-0663
Beverly Hospital Nurses Ratify Contract With Patient Protections
Montebello, CA – Registered Nurses at Beverly Hospital ratified their first contract yesterday, winning protections for patient safety after a year of difficult bargaining that included a federal government decision to prosecute the employer for unlawful negotiation tactics.
“We worked long and hard to see this day,” said Susan Justin, RN. “We never gave up on protecting our patients and community. Now we have a contract that guarantees Beverly nurses a strong voice in patient care and improving our hospital.”
Beverly nurses voted in February, 2011 to join United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP). Negotiations with Beverly Hospital management for a first contract began almost a year ago, on May 5, 2011. Nurses were… Read more
Beverly RNs voted by 96% to approve a first contract on May 2, 2012 after a year long battle to secure wage increases, grievance and arbitration, and a voice in patient care.
Close to Agreement–Two Obstacles Left
Yesterday we met and bargained with management.
We are very close to an agreement. Two issues continue to divide RNs and management.
1. “Most Favored Nations”—Protection for union employees against management giving non-union employees better wages or benefits than us during the life of the contract.
2. Two Years vs. Three Years—Our Bargaining Team continues to have discussions with management about the length of the contract.
Download a leaflet with this information to share with co-workers
Make Your Voice Heard on These Remaining Issues
Thursday, April 19, 9 AM
Rosemead DoubleTree | 888 Montebello 91770
Let’s make our next bargaining session count!
We’ve made tremendous progress over the last year, in spite of unnecessary delays and roadblocks by Beverly Hospital. Yesterday, the National Labor Relations Board Region 21’s neutral investigation found that the hospital has engaged in unlawful bad faith bargaining throughout negotiations and announced the federal government would be prosecuting Beverly’s violations. (More information) Finally, Beverly Hospital has been told its bargaining tactics are unfair.
Now is our time to get our first contract, because Beverly Hospital has been told its past tactics are unlawful. If we all get together for one final push for our hospital, and our community, we will do it.
The bargaining team has done an incredible job, reaching agreement on nearly all of our proposals even in the face of Beverly’s unlawful negotiation tactics. But it’s going to take everyone’s effort. The community leaders we’ve depended on from… Read more
Yesterday the federal government announced its decision to prosecute Beverly Hospital for its unlawful negotiation tactics that have blocked a first contract with its Registered Nurses.
OSHA was at Beverly Hospital on Friday, March 9 to take photos and investigate the complaints made by Beverly RNs about problems with the facility, including faulty electrical wiring in Intensive Care, mold and water damage, and flooding. The dedication of Beverly RNs to patient safey is paying off.
The latest delegations to visit Beverly Hospital in support of Beverly Nurses were led by Father Mike Gutierrez, Pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Baldwin Park and a Board Member of CLUE (Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice); and by members of the Communications Workers of America Local 9588.
Both delegations had an important message to deliver: settle a fair contract, including protection so the nurses won’t lose their jobs in the event that the hospital is sold. The delegations also protested the disrespectful comments the hospital made in support of their contract proposal that nurses should wear white uniforms.
The hospital had explained their proposal by saying: “Our community serves elderly Hispanics, and our research shows that Hispanics respect the color white. They will think patient care is better if nurses are wearing white, and our scores will go up.”
Father Gutierrez, joined… Read more
Neighboring school employees visited Beverly Hospital recently to demand that management upgrade the hospital’s leaking roof and broken equipment, and settle a fair contract without further delays.
At 2:45AM Friday, May 11, UNAC/UHCP and the Coalition of Unions reached a tentative agreement with Kaiser covering 95,000 Kaiser employees across the country. Details to come.
Beverly RNs voted by 96% to approve a first contract on May 2, 2012 after a year long battle to secure wage increases, grievance and arbitration, and a voice in patient care.
“SB 1246 will help Registered Nurses provide safe patient care without worrying about hospitals cutting corners and jeopardizing the health of a patient,” said Barbara Blake, RN, State Secretary/Treasurer of UNAC/UHCP.
