In September, nurses overwhelmingly rejected management’s offer for a short-term contract. Nurses sent a clear message that more needed to be done to improve wages, benefits, and working conditions at Munson Medical Center, and that could only be accomplished through a full contract. Today, that process started as we held our first bargaining sessions for a new contract.

Our bargaining team is comprised of nurses that have been elected by you – the membership – to negotiate across from Munson management based on the priorities you have shared in your bargaining surveys. Together as a union, we get to have a say about what happens in our workplace.

Today, major topics of discussion included low census, floating, and workplace safety.

With low census, we proposed to allow for more transparency in the process of how low census decisions are made. Additionally, we proposed increases to the call rate for nurses who are placed on call. We anticipate further discussions in the future around low census in the specialty areas.

We are proposing to restrict the Medical Center’s ability to float nurses and provide fair compensation for nurses who are floated. Additionally, we are asking that nurses not be floated on holidays. Our proposal also includes an increase to differentials for float pool nurses.

We are proposing several workplace safety measures to help provide a more secure environment for nurses and our patients. Some of the measures include increased presence of security, metal detectors at main points of entry. We are also proposing that the Medical Center undertake greater efforts to prevent incidents of workplace violence and to better address the incidents when they do occur.

In total, we made nearly thirty proposals today. We anticipate a response to our proposals during our next bargaining sessions on November 29th and 30th.

Please continue to wear red on Wednesday to show your solidarity and commitment to a fair contract.