Published
The Registered Nurses at St Catherines of Siena Catholic Health Systems (CHS) on Long Island, NY have been on strike for 20 days because their employer refuses to address their serious concerns about short staffing, mandatory OT, retention and recruitment incentives (salaries and benefits) as well as other working conditions.
The hospital claims it can't afford the improvements the nurses need to attract and RETAIN nurses for staff nurse positions.
The freedom of information act makes it possible to get copies of CHS' tax returns for '97, '98, '99. The nurses, as a union, obtained this information and released it. Take a close look at the figures and where the hospital's money is going. Look at the yearly raises and pensions the administration gave themselves! And these are the people telling the nurses they "can't afford" to improve workplace conditions or increased salaries or benefits for the nurses:
List of officers & their Salaries (compensation), Contributions to benefits plans/deferred compensations (annuities/pensions), and Total annual compensation (total yearly salary):
Ronald Aldrich
President - F/T position
1997
Salary - $90,000.oo
Contributions to benefit plans/annuities - $ 0.00 Total annual salary - $90,000.oo...
1998
Salary - $800,200.oo
Contributions to benefits plans/annuities - $225,706.oo
Total annual salary - $1,025,906.oo.....
1999
Salary - $1,058,835.oo
Contributions to benefits plans/annuities -
$253,495.oo
Total Salary - $1,312,330.oo.....
Raise of over a million dollars in 2 years
Donna O'Brien, Sr.... VP - F/T
1997
Salary - $26,250.00
Contributions to benefits/annuities - 00.00
Total Salary - 26,250.00......
1998
Salary - $298,177.00
Contributions to benefits/annuities -$43,598.00
Total salary - $341,775.00.....
1999
Salary - $382,367.00
Contributions to benefits/annuities - $55,443.00
Total Salary - $437,810.00.....
Raise of over four hundred thousand dollars in 2 years
Terrance Daly CFO 40%- part-time work
1997
Salary - $00.00...
1998
Salary - $148,000.00
Contribution to benefits/annuities - $59,472.00
Total Salary - $207,472.00...
1999
Salary - $213,330.00
Contributions to benefits/annuities - $51,486.00
Total Salary - $264,816.00...
Raise of over fifty thousand dollars in 1 yr - part time
Martin Helldorger - position = "As Needed"
1999
Salary - $318,028.00
Contributions to benefits/annuities - $23,707.00
Total Salary - $341,735.00...... (for an "as needed "position!)
Alan Kertland - position = "As Needed"
1999
Salary - $150,000.00
Contributions to benefits/annuities - $24,252.00
Total Salary - $174,587.00
How much do you get paid per diem? Over $100,000/yr? How much of a raise did you get last year? What % raise is it from $90,000 to $1,025,906.oo? Thats how much % of raise the hospital president got over just one year. What % raise is it from $207,472.00 to $264,816.00? Thats how much of a raise a part time administrator got. Administrator's explanations as to why they need high salaries is:
"TO ATTRACT THE BEST AND KEEP THEM HERE"
Ohhhhhhhh reeeaaallllllllyyyyyy????
So they DO understand the concept after all!
I'm not angry that some MBA who can draw a pie chart is making a million a year. Or that that same wizard thinks all nurses are money sinks and can be easily replaced with less expensive unlicensed people. I'm not angry that the management will spend
millions on new equipment and real estate but not hire an extra RN for a busy floor.
I'm angry because these people try to portray me a greedy for wanting more money to risk my ability to earn a living every day.
I'm angry because the CEO of a hospital states to a local reporter that nurses need to think less of themselves and more of the community. And I get really pissed when a manager tell ICU nurses that they will have to take and care for 3 ventilator patients and staffing is safe under those circumstances.
If a CEO makes some mistake, he/she might lose a job. If management refuses to hire adequate help and a patient dies as a result the CEO does not lose his license. He isn't punished by a board of his peers. He probably gets a bonus for saving money.
That is what makes me angry. Gary
Exactly the point. I am not angry at the salaries these CEO's make, I am angry at the behaviors and the message they send to society and nurses.
Their job is management. I expect them to manage for the benefit of the patient and not the benefit of the enity they represent.
They use tax payor funds and tax breaks to built more walls, yet, they do not inform the public what is needed is more staff. I have not read an article where the CEO states we can built more, but the effort is wasted if we can not staff more. They continue to support programs which allow tax advantages for buildings, however, do not support needed increases in compensation for those that work inside those buildings. This is what angers me.
In my orginal post, I said I do not believe a reduction of executive salaries would pass to nurses. This is not the productive fight. We need to place in the communities' mind the question of performance and remind them and tell them that the CEO and associated Vice-presidents are not performing to the communities standard.
CEO's do not fear comments regarding salary because their is no issue related to salary in their respective contract. Shout. all we want - this is a dead issue. They can not be terminated or reprimanded for making more than nurses. However,
In each executives contract there is a clause related to perfomance. It is this that is the crucial element to compensation of pay and renewal of contract. This is the contract language that can put fear in an executive's mind and is what the Board can and does act upon.
Change the performance standard of the community and the Hosptial Board and you will change the performance of the CEO.
Just food for thought !!
Exactly the point. I am not angry at the salaries these CEO's make, I am angry at the behaviors and the message they send to society and nurses.
Their job is management. I expect them to manage for the benefit of the patient and not the benefit of the entity they represent.
They use tax payor funds and tax breaks to built more walls, yet, they do not inform the public what is needed is more staff. I have not read an article where the CEO states we can built more, but the effort is wasted if we can not staff more. They continue to support programs which allow tax advantages for buildings, however, do not support needed increases in compensation for those that work inside those buildings. This is what angers me.
In my orginal post, I said I do not believe a reduction of executive salaries would pass to nurses. This is not the productive fight. We need to place in the communities' mind the question of performance and remind them and tell them that the CEO and associated Vice-presidents are not performing to the communities standard.
CEO's do not fear comments regarding salary because their is no issue related to salary in their respective contract. Shout. all we want - this is a dead issue. They can not be terminated or reprimanded for making more than nurses. However,
In each executives' contract there is a clause related to perfomance. It is this that is the crucial element to compensation of pay and renewal of contract. This is the contract language that can put fear in an executive's mind and is what the Board can and does act upon.
Change the performance standard of the community and the Hospital Board and you will change the performance of the CEO.
Just food for thought !!
Hi. Yes, I believe that it is important that capitalism be allowed to thrive but not be allowed to exploit and rob. I do feel outrage at the fact that exorbitant salary levels are paid to some executives when sometimes the intensity and quality of their work frequently doesn't match the intensity and quality of our work. I also believe that exorbitant sums of income paid to these individuals leads to inflated cost of living expenses for everyone. We are seeing more coming out of our pocket for health expenses and utilities. We know that maintenance of our homes and transportation costs more. It's very expensive to take care of a child. We know that costs for everything continues to skyrocket and our salaries are not keeping up. Typical salary increases of 3% are not enough to offset the rise in cost of living expenses and help improve personal investing and saving efforts. I agree that it may be very useful for the board to start enforcing contracts when it comes to an executive's performance. I'm not sure if that would help improve or stabilize staffing levels and pay significantly or not. No doubt consultants would not only draft stricter performance measures for the CEO but for the rest of the staff. That may mean that when the CEO's head rolled, mid and lower level staff heads would roll too. This may increase the level of turnover. What do you all think?
These Administrators are not paid by the hour and also, we don't know how to run a hospital. These people do and have gne to school for this.
As Nurses we are on the time clock and make our money per hour. Some of us work o.t. and a second job, at times. We are paid on a different pay scale with a different cut of the pie.
If I wanted to enjoy a day to day worry about being replaced, being out of a job for any reason by the Corp. and also, a loss of skills so that I could not work the bedside then Administration is for me.
As a Nurse for about 23 years, I still want to be at the bedside where I save lives and continue to help people, I say the Traveling Nurse idea gives me the higher salary and it allows me a good living with a feeling of being able to sleep at night.
Administration has many drawbacks and incredible pressue. I don't want to leave the bedside. I want to do what I am doing.:)
Nurses in my hospital do not punch a time clock. Neither does any other professional there. We dont have an hourly salary either. We have a yearly salary - based on education, shift, certifications and degrees.
What other professionals are paid by the hour or punch a time clock? What other professionals would stand for it if they were told tomorrow that they had to?
I would hesitate to become salaried - only because the more you work (hourly wise) the less you make. I have seen salaried nurse managers run into the ground. Besides, how can you salary the per diems and part timers? How do you account for holidays worked vs holidays off? How about low census, or overtime worked? I still consider myself a professional, but my job is not M-F 9-5. I want compensation!
jt-
What's the latest with the Long Island nurses? Has anyone actually clicked on the free link to that New York Times story I posted? Check it out! I read it again, and I stand by my original anti-administrator interpretation of it.
P.S. I don't think hourly pay is an insult to my professional status. Hey, lawyers and psychiatrists bill hourly! I think working lots of unpaid overtime, like many of the homecare nurses and some of the nurse managers I know do, is the real insult to anyone's professional status. I wish we could bill a quarter of an hour for a "complex phone call" like many lawyers do.
Peace,
Grouchy
From the husband of one of the nurses on strike at St Catherines (Long Island, NY):
The scabs scratch their scabies, while the patients all wait.
The IVs were hung by the beds without care
In the hopes that St. Peter would not soon be there.
The blue hairs were strapped down, all snug in their beds
While visions of sanity danced in their heads.
The scabs in their street clothes were taking a nap
While the man in bed 7 just took a crap.
When down on the street there arose such a clatter
Jim Wilson went out to see what was the matter.
He ran through the lobby, to the door in a flash,
All the while scratching his own scabies rash.
The moon shone brightly on the new fallen snow
Giving a glow and a luster to the strikers below.
And what to his wondering eyes did appear
But a candle light vigil without any fear.
With Michael and Barbara so lively and strong
He knew all of his lying was so very wrong.
He pondered a minute, whats next in the game,
He shouted out loud and he called them by name.
Now Kathy, now Peggy, now Mary, and Jane
Please forgive me I know I have acted insane.
The nurses look up, still not amused.
Youre lying Jim Wilson, no thanks, we refuse!
Away to his office, away in a huff,
They think I am kidding, so now Ill get tough.
Ill hire more scabs, its the money they love.
Ill break the union with that last little shove.
Jim thought about Margaret and said what a jerk.
When this is all over shell be looking for work.
Ive been promised a bonus for being a creep
I think Ill go out and buy a new jeep.
These nurses are stupid, to think that we care,
When all CHS wants is the money from there.
I have lied to the staff and the patients as well,
For all of my lying I should rot in HELL.
The CHS lawyer will not deal in good faith.
He is the same lawyer who helped seal EHS fate.
With his hands in his pants, he is insulting and rude.
He screams like a madman, he rants and is crude.
We have been at the table for nine months and counting.
Theyve spent millions on scabs and the cost is still mounting.
Theyll pay them their blood money, house and feed them as well.
They change every few weeks because scabs start to smell.
These scabs care nothing for patients, as the death toll will tell.
The Suffolk D.A. wont believe the stories they sell.
They can settle some lawsuits and try to cover the rest.
CHS will understand now what they had was the best.
NYSNAs nurses will not lie or mislead.
When the hospital is quoted, its untruths that you read.
Our apostolate is our faith in nursing, it is where we belong.
It is compassion, justice, and integrity that make us all strong.
We nurses are pushed to our limit; we are forced to the wall.
We are lied to and cheated for no reason at all.
It is greed that they live for, it is money they crave.
We have taken high road for the patients we save.
We want to return to our family of caring.
We can see hope, we can feel all the sharing.
We nurses go on, we are united and strong.
Our eyes we see the truth, we see what is wrong.
The candle light vigil so soft and so meek
With nurses, united, pushed out on the street.
They dont seem to get it, let the truth ring.
Money is never the issue, respect is the thing.
Away to the pickets, away to our friends
We are in this together, our strength never ends.
We are nurses of conscience, we know we are right.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good night! >>
The nurses are out "for as long as it takes"
For more updates see:
Mijourney
1,301 Posts
Hi. Yes, Wildtime. sigh! Life is a game, not a journey as I believe. Survival of the fittest means whoever can get everything including the kitchen sink is the winner. It would appear that we are the weak link. But wait! You can't make exorbitant salaries unless there is someone there holding the bottom up. Meaning without patients and the nurses providing 24 hour or even intermittent patient care, how could an executive survive? What would be the point?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that there were around 150 teachers up in the NE region of the U.S. that showed what could happen, although on a minor scale, if the bottom fell out.