UCMC Contract 2012
Newsletters
UCMC Nurses Vote Overwhelmingly to Ratify First NNU Contract
Substantial Gains Reached On Core Issues
We now have a contract that:
- Reinforces our rights to patient advocacy
- Strengthens our voices in patient care issues
- Provides additional RN staffing
- Limits rotating shifts Provides the respect, benefits and compensation necessary to recruit and retain excellent nurses
Congratulations to all that stood strong, wore red and helped to communicate our demands to UCMC management. In the coming weeks, we look forward to building our elected leadership and committee structures by electing:
- Nurse Representative Council Members
- Patient Care Committee Members (7)
Tentative Agreement Summary
Decreased Health Care Premiums
- Caps that adjust premium costs for RNs, shifting costs to the employer
- Limits on premium increases
Staffing
16 New "Patient Care Support Nurse" positions without patient assignments to assist with patient care, admissions, discharges, meals and breaks, etc.
Limits on Rotating Shifts
- No nurse can be required to rotate more than 2 night shifts per 6 week schedule
- All rotating nurses working primarily night shift will be granted permanent night shift positions with 20% differential
Pay increases of 3%, 4%, 3% over 3 year contract
New Professional Practice Committee and Acuity
- More than 42 hours of paid release time a month for 7 NNU nurses to address patient care issues.
- Provides written response to every ADO from management within three business days of delivery.
- All patient care areas will have a staffing method for each patient and shift, based on patient acuity.
- Requires the CNO to respond in writing to recommendations on standardized procedures, policies, protocols and technology.
- PPC receives notification of procedures policies and protocols in advance of implementation.
Low Census
- Protects bargaining unit nurses and OT, by canceling contract agency nurses three times every six weeks, before OT can be cancelled.
- If mandatorily cancelled for part of the shift, 12 hour nurses have the option of taking low census for the entire shift.
- Bargaining unit nurses must have the opportunity to bid for extra shifts/OT, before contract agency nurses are hired
Overtime Calculation
Back pay for nurses that received less overtime pay January- through ratification than they would have under the previous calculation. Language that clarifies OT calculation from this point forward and fixes the problem of some nurses receiving less than time and a half for OT
EP Lab & GI Procedures
- Placement on step wage scale
- Retro wages from April 1, 2010
On-Call
- Requires that the call schedule be posted prior to changes being made, allowing for transparency and equitable distribution of call
- Limits the ability of UCMC to require nurses to be on call for other units within their department;
- Limits the ability of UCMC to call in nurses for patients outside their specialty
- Prohibits the use of call for staffing needs that are predictable rather than unforeseen.
Other Gains:
- New Hospital: Requirement that the Medical Center communicate regarding any changes or movement of units; assurance that UCMC will make efforts to allow nurses to remain in their clinical specialties
- Charge Nurse Bargaining Unit Protections: Protects against UCMC attempting to move charge nurses and nurses that do relief charge out of the bargaining unit
- Grievance Pilot Program: Revised, to expedite resolution of grievances
- Charge Nurse Training: An optional day of training for new charge nurses.
- Union Leave: Leave for nurses to attend union conferences and events.
- Respect for Nurse Reps: Requirement that UCMC communicates directly with, rather than ignore, the Nurse Rep that is handling each grievance
- Sick Leave Pay: Allows nurses to voluntarily use vacation or holiday pay when sick leave is exhausted
- Nurse Negotiators: Increases the number of negotiators from 7 to 9. UCMC pays fro the first 14 bargaining sessions.
- ECMO RNs: will be allowed to float to peds-ER rather than be low-censused or cause other RNs to be low-censused
- Float Team: Language to define the use of the float team and protect unit-based nurse work and positions; Requirement that UCMC post positions if float team on a unit if is being used consistently to fill anticipated staffing needs
DEFEATED MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS:
- No unprofessional requirement to clock in-and-out for meals and breaks or face discipline
- No Tuition Reimbursement Take-Away: Defeated new limits on what degrees are covered, requirement that RNs work at the Medical Center for 2 years before being eligible for tuition reimbursement and requirement that nurse stay for 2 years after they finish school, or be responsible for paying back the Medical Center
- No decrease the permanent night shift differential from 20% to $4; and the evening shift diff from 15% to $3.
- No Cut in Wage Scale or step elimination
- No 50% cut in on-call pay
- No mandatory to use vacation or holiday pay when sick leave is exhausted
- No provisions to extend the probationary period to 180 days
- No weakening of protections for nurses who transfer and are unable to cope with their new unit
Let's stand up for the American People! More »
UCMC Press Releases
The critically acclaimed actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, who portrays a nurse on the Emmy award winning Showtime dark comedy Nurse Jackie, will perform Tell Us Where It Hurts, America’s Nurses are Listening, a theatrical piece written for an estimated international audience of more than 1,000 nurses. This unique performance is derived from real-life stories of nurses and their patients gathered by the members of National Nurses United (NNU). —NNU Press Release, 05/15/12 More »
Illinois, International Press Releases
UCMC News
On the run-up to the NATO summit, free speech is being held hostage. While the summit kicks off this weekend, the war of words has been under way for months. Chicago needs a cease-fire on the distortions, disclaimers and declarations that have filled the public conversation. More »
Main Street, Illinois News
UCMC Blog
Well, almost everybody – weeks after granting NNU a permit for a march to and rally at Daley Plaza, the city of Chicago now wants to change our march route and move the rally from Daley Plaza to Petrillo band shell at Butler Field. Either NNU agrees, or else. —NNU Blog, 05/08/12 More »
Nationwide, Illinois Blog
Progress at the Table
Our Nurse Negotiating Team was able to make significant progress at the table yesterday, solidifying multiple tentative agreements. We were successful in winning a Professional Practice Committee that gives UCMC RN’s a true voice in patient care. We also made substantial gains in protecting bargaining unit nurse work from mandatory low census and replacement with contract agency nurses. This week we had a meaningful discussion about health care premiums as we continue to push for progress on our core issues: safe staffing, ending rotating shifts, respect, and healthcare justice.
Tentative Agreements
Professional Practice Committee
- More than 42 hours of release time a month for 7 NNU nurses to address patient care issues.
- Provides written response to every ADO from management within three business days of delivery.
- All patient care areas will have a staffing method for each patient and shift, based on patient acuity.
- Requires the CNO to respond in writing to recommendations on standardized procedures, policies, protocols and technology.
- PPC receives notification of procedures policies and protocols in advance of implementation.
Low Census
- Contract agency nurses can now be cancelled three times every six weeks, before OT is cancelled.
- If mandatorily cancelled for part of the shift, 12 hour nurses have the option of taking low census for the entire shift.
- Ability to bid on extra shifts before contract agency is hired.
Bargaining Updates and Newsletter
YES! UCMC Nurses Have Spoken
In a strong show of solidarity and support for our nurse negotiating team, on April 12 and 13 UCMC nurses voted overwhelmingly to authorize a one-day strike if our bargaining demands are not met. Together, we sent a strong message to management that their stonewalling at the bargaining table on the issues that nurses care about most, and their insulting takeaway proposals will not be tolerated.
It is now time for UCMC to take our core issues seriously. UCMC can no longer rely on the perception of being at the “forefront,” while being dismissive of our concerns. We will continue to turn up the heat as we push to win a fair contract that includes:
- Safe Staffing
- End to Rotating Shifts
- Healthcare Justice
- Respect — Including, No Takeaways
News
CBS local | University of Chicago Hospital Nurses Vote for Strike
Chicago Maroon | Nurses Vote to Strike
Greenfield Reporter | University of Chicago Nurses
WGNTV | Nurses Poised to Strike at UC Medical Center
Gapersblock.com | Nurses See Extra Burden in South Side Emergency Rooms
WTTW | Special Video Report on Lack of South Side Emergency Services
