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Henry Mayo Staff
Gain First Contract

SANTA CLARITA, Calif.

   
UE negotiators cast their ballots for the first contract between new Local 1004 and Henry Mayo Hospital
UE negotiators cast their ballots for the first contract between new Local 1004 and Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital. From left, Terry Bucknall, Laura Lerma, Judy Hice and Leticia Ramirez.
Hospital staff, members of Local 1004, mark their ballots
The election process. Hospital staff, members of Local 1004, mark their ballots. The first contract covers some 500 licensed vocational nurses, nurses’ aides and other ancillary staff.
     

One day before the strike scheduled for Nov. 22, a majority of the nearly 500 employees of Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital represented by UE Local 1004 voted to accept the terms of their first collective bargaining agreement.

A tentative agreement had been reached Nov. 16; the contract took effect Dec. 10. UE bargained jointly with the California Nurses Association (CNA); a majority of the CNA-represented registered nurses also voted on Nov. 21 to accept the agreement.

The struggle for a first contract grew in intensity in recent months. Henry Mayo’s licensed vocational nurses, nurses’ aides, pharmacy techs, lab employees and other ancillary staff voted to join UE in February, following the RNs’ decision to organize with CNA.

In September, Henry Mayo management unveiled an unacceptable "final" offer. Management insisted on the right to cut wages, personal time, health and pension benefits during the length of the contract. Union members mobilized to show their opposition, and to build community support for a fair settlement (See: Local 1004 Seeks Fairness in First Contract, UE News, Oct. 2000).

Local 1004 and CNA members, family and friends took part in a candlelight vigil and other activities in support of the unions’ campaign for a fair first contract. A Local 1004 delegation took 1,000 postcards signed by members of the community and taped together in sheets of about 100 each to administration offices. Union members also circulated a petition to management and the board of directors that expressed support for the union’s bargaining goals.

STAFF MAKES POINT

   

'Our Work
Is Not Yet Done'

Our work is not yet done," said UE Local 1004 and CNA negotiators in a letter published in The Signal, the area’s daily newspaper. "There remain 75 housekeeping and food service workers engaged in a struggle for a fair contract with their contracted employer, ISSI."

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital contracted out its housekeeping, linen and food services. Workers employed by the subcontractor, ISSI, also voted to join UE. These members of Local 1004 are still engaged in their own first-contract struggle. ISSI is under investigation for illegal labor practices, including use of delay tactics to prevent real negotiations.

"Their issues address poverty wages, poor staffing and lack of affordable benefits," observed the Henry Mayo union leaders. "We will not rest until there is fairness for everyone."

See also:
Hospital Food, Housekeeping Staff Choose UE
(UE News, May 2000)

UE and CNA members, and children, were back in front of the hospital on the night before Halloween (See: Halloween Picket Line Says 'Trick or Treat', UE News, Nov. 2000).

Management got the message, and rescinded its "final" offer. Talks began to show progress; the unions issued a 10-day strike notice on Nov. 12.

"We’ve proven we can join together and fight for our rights," commented Terry Bucknall, a UE negotiating committee member. "The employees are in a much better position than we were in a year ago at this time."

UE members say the two-year contract represents a good start in addressing issues of patient care, retention, recruitment and fairness — although there is still a long way to go to resolve issues.

The contract establishes fair "floating" provisions. The hospital recognizes its obligation to protect employees’ duty to be advocates for patients and to comply with all laws governing staffing and the delivery of patient care.

Subjective, "merit" based pay increases are a thing of the past. Effective Dec. 10, hospital employees received across-the-board raises of 1 percent or 20 cents, whichever is greater, and will receive a 2 percent increase on their next anniversary date and an automatic 3 percent increase in 18 months (June 2002).

All employees with six years of seniority will receive 50-cent hourly differential; those with 15 years will receive an additional 50 cents an hour.

For the first time ever, Henry Mayo will match up to 3 percent of an employee’s contribution to the pension plan.

The contract establishes overtime provisions, including time and one-half after 8 hours, for those on a 8-hour shift, and time and one-half after 10 hours for those on a 10-hour shift. All employees will receive two times their rate of pay after 12 hours of work.

Employees will no longer be required to to use their paid time off for the first day of illness; sick leave will be paid from the first day of illness. Sick leave accrual is capped on 320 hours.

Health insurance premiums will not increase and benefits will not decrease. A contract re-opener in April 2001 will be an opportunity to negotiate improvements in health benefits.

A STRONG VOICE

Hospital staff will now have the right to representation at all steps of a new three-step grievance procedure. Management will have to justify all discipline, which can be only for "just cause." Departmental stewards will be officially recognized by the hospital and may participate in new employee orientation.

The contract contains full union security — a hotly contested issue in negotiations.

Henry Mayo staff gain seniority protection, job posting and schedule posting.

"The recent ratification of our contract will definitely improve our day-to-day working conditions and give us a brighter future," said the members of the UE and CNA negotiating committees, in a letter to the editor of The Signal, the Santa Clarita Valley’s daily newspaper.

The letter publicly expressed the union members’ appreciation for community support.

UE Genl. Pres. John Hovis met with the UE negotiators in the critical final days of bargaining.

The UE Local 1004 negotiating committee consisted of Judy Hice, Terry Bucknall, Laura Lerma, Leticia Ramirez, Shirley Augustine and Yvonne Allbee. They were assisted by UE Intl. Rep. Fernando Losada and Field Organizers Leah Fried, Angela MacWhinnie and Carol Igoe.

UE News - 12/00


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