HPAE Local 5091 at Bergen Regional Medical Center

Union Activist and Leader Carol Stern to Retire
July 12, 2011

This month your Local 5091 Executive Board will be losing a key board member to retirement. Carol Stern presently serves on the Executive Board as the Grievance Chairperson; however, she also is very active in several other activities to serve the Members of Local 5091 HPAE.

She plays an active role on the AFT Women and Minorities Committee; she is also the co-president of HPAE Committee on Political Education. In addition she is also an active member of the HPAE State Executive Committee and the State Executive Council. She will be greatly missed.

Carol has worked on B-G day shift for several years. She has had a profound impact on her co-workers, her clients, and her managers. She has brought dignity and respect to those in her presence that we would all do well to emulate.

On June 25th a bus loaded with friends and colleagues set out on a trip to Atlantic City for a day of fun and enjoyment to celebrate Carol’s retirement. The weather was beautiful and the day was great fun for all. I would like to thank the people responsible for organizing such a memorable day.

Carol’s last day of work in the hospital will be July 13th. It is coincidental but appropriate that we will be having a Local 5091 Membership Meeting this day. She will continue her efforts with the Executive Board until the end of September after which she plans to move to the west coast. We wish her best of luck in her future plans and endeavors. She will be missed by all.

Godspeed,
Jeffrey Peck RN


Labor Management Agenda for Thursday, April 21, 2011

1. Follow-up on previous Labor Management Items
• Unsafe staffing
• Previous arrangement with Dr. Mueller to provide services for BRMC employees and receive in network pay. Guy was to look into this issue.
• Members who apply for transfers within the hospital not receiving communication from HR regarding outcomes. Two names given at last meeting for Guy to look into and reply.
• The need for a full time attendant assigned to the ICU/ITCU. Management was looking at rearranging staffing patterns revisit this issue. Last meeting it was mentioned that 75% of day staff in ICU has requested transfer out directly related to this issue.
• Inherent problem of CO vs IC. Last meeting we discussed the issues and were awaiting the outcome of further committee meeting to discuss solutions.
• Again there remain issues with vacation time being denied for Christmas holidays. Cases for presentation.
• “Shut-down” of Hospital after 3pm. This issue was presented at last meeting, Specifically regarding availability of housekeeping, transport and the pharmacy as well on weekends after 6pm.
• Several times previously the issue of needing the locks changed and new keys provided for the HPAE bulletin boards. When will this be completed? Also placement of additional HPAE mailboxes, with locks and keys.
2. Pharmacy Window for employees
3. Clarifying language in the contract related to Personal Days, Holiday Day, Vacation Time and weekend shifts required to work per month.
• Specific cases will be presented that need to be clarified for managers.
4. Poor Work Performance of Agency RNs
5. Doctor Notification of Consultation
6. Safe Patient Handling Policy

Local 5091 Acute Divisional Meeting

Wednesday, Apr. 20th, 2011
3:30pm – 5:00pm

Location: 1st Floor Auditorium

VERY IMPORTANT MEETING!
Agenda:
- Staffing / Floating
- Vacation Requests
- Quality Liaison Position
- Non-Nursing Functions
- Open Discussion

*Refreshments will be served!

For more information contact Local 5091 President Jeff Peck or your Staff Representative Leo Torrey at (201) 262-5005 x141

Bergen Regional Med Center cutting up to 50 jobs
December 22, 2010

Bergen Regional Medical Center said Tuesday that it will eliminate "less than 50 positions" as a result of federal and state reimbursement reductions for charity care and a prohibition against entering into contracts with managed health care providers.

Donnalee Corrieri, a spokeswoman for the Bergen Regional LP, a division of Solomon health management of Colorado, said in a statement that "no direct patient hospital services have been eliminated," but she declined to provide a specific number of positions or comment on what types of jobs would be cut at the Paramus hospital.
Read More


HIT Survey Winner from Our Local
Congratulations to Nicole McAllister (HPAE Local 5091). She was the winner of a $50 American Express gift card for filling out the HIT Best Practices Checklist Survey.

HIT Best Practices Checklist: How does BRMC measure up?

The AFT recently adopted a resolution outlining Best Practices that should govern the development, introduction, and implementation of Health Information Technologies (HIT) in our hospitals, including electronic health records (EHR); computerized physician order entry (CPOE); computerized time and attendance systems; automated pharmacy systems, etc. Click here to view the resolution. HPAE was part of the Working Group that developed these Best Practices.

We’d like to hear how well your facility or your unit/department measures up to these Best Practices. Please complete and submit this HIT Best Practices Checklist. We’ll share the results of this informal survey with you and policy-makers. Click here to take the survey.

Negotiations Update
May 20, 2010

The new contract was ratified last night - The full agreement will be posted shortly.

New LOU Staffing Office

To improve reporting time of personnel:
Office will be moved to 1st floor
Review of shift coverage will be completed before schedule is posted
Management to oversee employee reporting times
Float pool employees will be notified of assignment before shift
Shift settling and unit assignments will be complete before change of shift
Reeducation of Staffing Office and Nursing Supervisors regarding use of
Availability Book. Staffing Office will document calls made to cover shifts
Restructuring of Float Pool and Staffing Resources
BRMC will post FT and PT positions in BHS as needed. If necessary
unit assignment may be split between units in a cluster
BRMC will post home/cluster based .6 positions as needed
Improved Communication between units and Staffing Office
Units will be notified of late and/or sick calls prior to beginning of
Shift Art. 27 Health Insurance Employee contributions to premiums to increase:
January 1, 2011 – 7%
January 1, 2012 – 8%
January 1, 2013 – 10%
Employee contributions for Dental Insurance as of June 1, 2010 will be for FT employees monthly:
Employee -- $15 (no change)
Employee + 1 dependent -- $20
Family -- $25
Under each of the plans (Core, Premium Plan and Premium Plus Plan) co-pays for MD Office visits will increase by $5 as of June 1.
As of June 1, 2010, Prescriptions filled at BRMC will be:
Core Premium Plus
Generic $10 $8 $8
Brand $25 $20 $20
Non-Pref. $25+Cost diff $20+Cost Diff $20+Cost Diff
Retail Pharmacy
Generic $35 $30 $30
Brand 50% Coverage 50% Coverage 50% Coverage LOU: Kentucky River/Clinical Coordinators Renew Kentucky River
5 Current Clinical Coordinators remain – no new ones Art. 2 Union Mailboxes New Locations -- 8-3 and next to Bldg. 14 Bulletin Board Art. 3 L/M Mtg minutes Review and Amend at next meeting Art. 11 Probation If probation would end on weekend, extends to Monday Art. 23 Holidays Codify 12 hr night shift holiday begins 7 PM on evening before holiday Art. 7 Data sent to Union Via e-mail -- Art. 20.2 Hours of work Revamp availability system to assure fairness and allow availability submissions by e-mail Art. 25 Sick Leave Pros – if dept head not available have designated voicemail Art. 27 Health and Safety Employee involved in violence must be evaluated by Employee Health or ED Art. 9 Seniority List sent via e-mail and delete reference to separate LTC RN payscale Art. 31 Students Charge nurse can address students interfering with pt care by asking instructor to address problem. If still problem call DON or ADON. LOU Acute SW Position no longer exists don’t renew LOU 12 hr shift procedure Renew LOU 12 hr benefits Renew LOU County Sick Leave Renew LOU Grievance – can grieve policies Renew LOU Grievance – time fames Renew LOU Staff Development Renew LOU Health Ins 45 days Renew LOU Pay Health Claims within 45 Days Renew LOU Childcare Renew LOU Policies Renew Art. 18 Orientation Rehire can waive part of orientation Art. 29 Discipline Can discipline if employer could not have known within 90 days
48 hours notice to access personnel file Art. 31 Employee Lockers Have designated PD lockers for use while working U12 In-Services Must be provided at suitable time for all shifts. NM responsible for employees who miss to get appropriate instruction
Coverage to perform nursing interventions for off-unit inservices
Add Pros to Evaluation language Art 31 Parking Provide designated parking for evening and night shifts – side letter for employer to trial and discuss at L/M Art. 10 Grievance Time Remove contradiction –21 days to file Art. 22 Blizzard Pay Rename “State of Emergency”
Consistent practice in all divisions Art. 24 Vacation Scheduling Return request in 14 not 21 days Art. 25 Sick Leave Increase sick call notice to 3 hours for evening and night shifts. Remains 2 hours for Day shift Art. 24 Vacations If terminated for willful misconduct or progressive discipline then don’t get accrued vacation time Art. 16 Posting of Positions Once awarded position, can’t apply for another for 6 months within division or 9 months between divisions (or OR, ICU/ITCU, or ED) Art. 7 COPE Allow COPE Check-off Art. 21 Salary Salary increase effective for whole pay periods Art. 15 PD Holidays Procedure to enforce weekend/holiday commitment for Per Diems Art. 19 Float Districts Update Districts
ER and D-1 Acute same as ICU/PACU/ITCU
Forensic Unit same as other Acute/Intermediate Units
All LTC same except 6-3 Art. 18 Orientees Notify unit before assignment is made of orientees coming to unit
Precept only non-supervisory employees Art. 31 On-Call OR Agree to meet within 90 days to address issues of hours of operation, use of personnel and scheduling of cases New LOU re: 11-3 and pt search policies and procedures Creating counselor assistant title (1 FTE) and will continue to discuss 11-3 issues at L/M meetings
By Sept. 1, 2010 will have policies outlining searches for each unit and training for such searches Art. 12 Breaks New LOU stating issue of break and break coverage will be discussed at L/M meetings Art. 15 Part time and Per Diem LOU recognizing contract is unclear as to status of .5 employees hired after March 1998. Current .5’s will be unchanged. If management decides to add .5’s then will bargain over wages, benefits and terms and conditions of employment Art. 31 On-Call for Pharmacy New provision codifies On-Call procedure agreed to between contracts Art. 35 HPAE Retiree Medical Trust Allow new vote of membership to determine if members want to participate

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