HPAE Local 5147 at Meadowlands Hospital

Message from Local 5147 President, Joanne Dudsak
March 25, 2012

It has been a very trying few months. We have had some successes and many challenges as we move forward trying to enforce our contract. The executive board has spent many hours working diligently facing these tasks. Two of our successes were with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). We filed charges regarding management interfering with our union, that they must respect our union, our right to meet and communicate with the members. The other charge involved management producing documents requested by the union, which they must provide. The NLRB supported our charges in both cases.

The recent arbitration involving the 20 members that were discharged during the 90 day probationary period as new employees, was not successful; these employees will not be returning to their jobs.

In early February there was also a reduction in staff in response to the reduction in the census, and the list of laid off staff changed on a continuous basis, making it difficult for the executive board to answer many questions that our members had. Challenges continue to face each of us. As we move forward, we need to stay focused on doing our jobs to the best of our ability. We all need to continue to enforce the contract. Our environment continues to change around us and as we adapt to those changes, patient safety and patient care must be a priority.

As changes continue to occur it is each individuals' obligation to be aware of issues that become a challenge, If you see something, say something! An issue that is obvious to you may not be apparent to everyone, and bringing attention to these things can make fixing them easier.

If there is a need to contact the executive board or you have a question please use the new email address created for this purpose (Meadowlands5147@yahoo.com). Please supply all pertinent information, name, email or phone number, so someone can contact you.

I would like to thank all the members who attended the membership meeting, it was good to see all of you and have the opportunity to chat.

In solidarity,
Joanne Dudsak


Scholarship Award to Daughter of Local 5147 Member
November 2, 2011

Alexis Gentile, the daugher of Local 5147 member Linda Gentile, received an Edward Pulver Scholarship Award from the Hudson County Central Labor Council(HCLC). Linda Gentile is an active union member and delegate to the HCLC.

From left to right: Alexis Gentile, Local 5147 Grievance Chair Curtis Jeter, and Linda Gentile, proud Mom.

From left to right: Local 5147 President Joanne Dudsak, Alexis Gentile, and Curtis Jeter.


Joanne Dudsak on the Department of Health Inspection Report
August 15, 2011

In a letter to the membership, Local 5147 President Joanne Dudsak comments on the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) inspection report which cited the hospital's lack of compliance with many hospital licensing standards.
Read Joanne's Letter

Health Insurance Benefits Restored
August 11, 2011

Faced with determined resistance from Local 5147, hospital management has rescinded their unilateral change in health insurance benefits. The hospital illegaly raised the health insurance deductible to $10,000 per person for care outside of Meadowlands Hospital. Benefits have now been restored.
HPAE President Ann Twomey's Letter to Local 5147 Members
Explanation of Current Benefits from Human Resources


Senator Vitale Requests Appointment of a Health Care Monitor at Meadowlands Hospital
August 10, 2011

In a letter to the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Senator Joseph Vitale requested appointment of a Health Care Monitor in response to an inspection which identified serious deficiencies in patient care.
Read the Letter


Members Ratify Agreement with Hospital; Joanne Dudsak Back to Work with Full Back Pay and Benefits
July 19, 2011

Local 5147 members overwhelmingly approved an agreement reached with the hospital to resolve several issues, including the firing of Local 5147 President Joanne Dudsak. Joanne is now back to work with full back pay and benefits, and her record is cleared. In addition, HPAE Staff Representative Leo Torrey will again have access to the building to help enforce the contract. Finally, Local 5147 members will receive an additional benefit: $50,000 in life insurance at no cost to the member.
Read the Agreement


Emergency Membership Meetings on July 8
July 5, 2011

Meadowlands management violated the federal labor law and our contract when they fired Local 5147 President Joanne Dudsak for standing up for our rights and expressing her views about the hospital's "dead peasant" insurance policy. Please make every effort to attend one of the meetings at the Crowne Plaza (See "Local Meetings and Events" for times of the meetings). Joanne stood up for us; now it's time to fight back!

Click for an Expose of "Dead Peasant" Insurance Policies


Secaucus Memorial Day Parade 2011
HPAE Local 5147 members at Meadowlands Hospital at the Secaucus Memorial Day Parade 2011.

Class Action Grievance Over Unjust Terminations March 28, 2011 Recently, management violated the contract by unjustly terminating many employees who they considered to be on a "new" probation. In fact, when we signed the agreement with MHA, the new owners agreed to provide a "seamless transition" for all employees working at the hospital on December 7, 2010. A probationary period only applies to newly hired employees. Thus, we filed a class action grievances challenging the unjust terminations and demanding that all these employees be reinstated with full back pay, benefits, and seniority status. We will continue to fight until justice is served for each and every member, and we will keep you informed every step of the way.

Contract Signed with New Meadowlands Owners

HPAE Local 5147 Executive Board members took part in a signing ceremony with the new owners of Meadowlands Hospital and Medical Center for a collective bargaining agreement.

New Owners at Meadowlands December 7, 2010 Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus opened on Tuesday with new ownership and a future that includes $12 million in upgrades and new equipment to attract more patients at the financially ailing hospital. Read More
Meadowlands Hospital due for a $12M Infusion The future owners of Meadowlands Hospital are planning $12 million in upgrades and new equipment plus an infusion of patients to resuscitate the Secaucus hospital, which lost millions of dollars in recent years. Read More
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT October 2010 The overwhelming YES vote to ratify our tentative agreement with MHA LLC said it all!  Now it is my opportunity to address this accomplishment. It is through OUR UNITY and STRENGTH that we managed to get this task done, I need to thank each of you who took the time to come out to meetings or activities, signed petitions or postcards and stayed focused on our goal to maintain our jobs, hospital seniority and union recognition. I was thrilled to see so many of you exercise your right to the ratification vote, and I was glad to have the opportunity to explain the tentative agreement to you.   Your executive board was very active in visiting with local elected officials, representatives and residents, and I would like to thank them for their time and dedication.  It is now all of our jobs to enforce this tentative agreement when it becomes our new contract; it is only effective when both parties abide by it. We need representatives from each area to see that this occurs; I don't know what happens in all areas of the hospital. Therefore, you need to be the eyes and ears of your department to maintain this agreement.    Moving forward from here, we may have questions that need to be answered, and we will address those issues as we face them.  Our new prospective owners are looking forward to working with us to make Meadowlands Hospital a place to be proud of. We need to take pride in our performance, making PATIENT CARE, SAFETY and COMFORT our priority. I am not sure when the sale will become final, but look forward to a seamless and uneventful transition. If you have questions, please contact me or one of the executive board members to get an answer. In solidarity JoAnne Dudsak Meadowlands Sale Approved by Health Planning Board The state Health Planning Board has recommended that its commissioners approve the sale of Meadowlands Hospital to a for-profit company but with several conditions.The new owners, the private investment group MHA LLC, must agree to maintain Meadowlands as an acute care hospital for at least seven years and retain all employees currently working there, said the board's report, issued on Sept. 30. Read More