Mt Sinai Nurses

[-jt]

Finally that hospital came to its senses about RN staffing. Probably didnt want the publicity of an RN strike in the midst of all the other negative publicity its been getting about poor pt care lately either......

For Immediate Release

by Mark Genovese: 518.782.9400, ext. 353

Mount Sinai Nurses Approve New Contract:

Agreement will create a safer working environment -

New York, NY, May 16, 2002 - Registered nurses at The Mount Sinai Hospital approved a new three-year contract Wednesday night that will help improve RN staffing and create a safer environment for patient care. The 1,973 RNs are members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA). Their previous contract expired on January 1.

Under the new agreement, a committee made up of an equal number of representatives from the union and management will be established to review staffing standards and develop staffing guidelines for each unit in the hospital. If the committee cannot reach agreement or if hospital fails to adhere to these guidelines, the nurses can take the matter to binding arbitration. Other provisions of this contract include:

* Restricting mandatory overtime -

An RN cannot be mandated for what is a foreseeable hole in the schedule and schedules must be posted four weeks in advance. Once posted, the schedule cannot be changed without mutual consent between the hospital and the employee.

* Limiting "floating" -

The contract restricts the temporary transfer of nurses outside of their units to other clinical practice areas-a practice called "floating." The nurses cannot be floated unless there is appropriate orientation. The assignment must be based on the needs of the patients and the skills, experience, and knowledge of the nurse.

* Increasing compensation -

The nurses will receive a salary increase of 2% upon ratification, 3% in February 2003, and 4% in July 2004, and will be paid a starting salary of $62,232.91 by July 4, 2004. They will also receive increases in experience pay and in evening and night differentials.

* Expanding 12-hour shifts -

This contract makes 12-hour shifts available to most inpatient units in the hospital. Many RNs prefer working 12-hour shifts because they provide more time off for family responsibilities and furthering their education. Many RNs who commute from longer distances to work in Manhattan say the three-day work-week is more manageable for them. In addition, NYSNA also believes 12-hour shifts provide better continuity of patient care throughout the day.

* Providing retirement health coverage -

Registered nurses' jobs are physically demanding and regularly place them at risk of exposure to disease. Many RNs would retire earlier than age 65, but they can't afford health insurance. This contract would make health coverage available during a three-month "window" at the end of each year to retiring nurses age 62 with 10 years service, and would be available even after they become eligible for Medicare.

This new agreement will expire on January 1, 2005.

NYSNA is the professional association for registered nurses in New York with more than 34,000 members statewide. A multipurpose organization, NYSNA fosters high standards of nursing education and practice and works to advance the profession through legislative activity and collective bargaining. NYSNA is a constituent of the American Nurses Association (ANA) and its labor arm, the United American Nurses (UAN), an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

http://www.nysna.org >>>>>>>>

[-jt]

And right behind them, another strike averted.......

Remember St Vincents Medical Center that was discussed so much in the news after Sept 11? The hospital heaped praise on its nurses for an outstanding response to the community on that day........ and then it refused to negotiate their important contract issues like staffing, pushing them to protest in the streets even up to last month. The hospitals actions didnt go over too well with anybody & so it too was forced to come to its senses before a strike vote happened. When will they learn? They can avoid so much aggravation if they would just show some respect & do it right first time....

New Saint Vincents Contract Sets the Pace

New York, NY, May 9, 2002 - Registered nurses at Saint Vincents Catholic Medical Center Wednesday evening approved a new three-year contract that will set the pace for nurses' salaries in the New York region, strengthen provisions for safe RN-to-patient staffing, and provide nurses with health benefits upon retirement.

The 800 RNs, members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), have been working without a contract since February 15.

"This contract was the result of a great deal of hard work and commitment by all of the nurses here at Saint Vincents and by the people of the community - who came out in such great numbers to support them," said Richard Hernandez, NYSNA nursing representative. "Everyone truly understood that maintaining quality patient care and keeping this hospital competitive for the best nurses in the city was in everybody's best interests."

Some details of the agreement:

* Compensation - The nurses will receive salary increases of 3% each year, bringing their base salaries to $62,114 by the end of the contract. The nurses also won significant increases in charge pay and differentials. Additional pay for experience will also increase at the higher end of the scale.

* Staffing - This agreement expands the staffing provisions the nurses won on the verge of a strike in 1999. It calls for developing stricter guidelines in the Emergency Department, Cancer Center, and the O'Toole and Chinatown clinics. For the first time in a NYSNA contract, this agreement gives the association the authority to directly review the hospital's own staffing records.

* Overtime - Full-time nurses will have the right to decline forced overtime three times every six months, and part-timers once every six months.

* Floating - The contract places greater restrictions on the hospital's ability to temporarily transfer nurses to unfamiliar units, a practice called "floating." It also provides greater protection against floating for probationary employees and gives the nurses a greater say in whether it is appropriate for them to be floated.

* Retirement - The hospital will offer nurses with 20 years of service an option to retire at age 60 with no reduction in retirement benefits. It will also provide nurses who retire after Dec. 31, 2004 with $2,500 per year to buy health insurance. Nurses will be eligible to receive this cash supplement until they become eligible for Medicare.

http://www.NYSNA.org >>>>>>>

[oramar]

Good for all of these people, if hospitals won't voluntarily treat nurses right, make them do it.

[pghfoxfan]

OT...I am coming this weekend to Mt Sinai this Weedend for a Xfiles charity that is being held there on Sunday! It's called the Scully Marathon!

[oramar]

Scully Marathon, cute cute! We should all take our hats off to Chris Carter and all the female characters he has created over the years. From time to time there are x file threads over on off topics.