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Nurses and Healthcare Professionals at Morton Hospital Cast Overwhelming Vote to Authorize a Three-Day Strike Following Their Filing of Unfair Labor Practice Charge | ||
By: PR Newswire Association LLC. - 12 May 2022 | Back to overview list |
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Safety, Security, Length on Contract, and Need for Good-Faith Bargaining Drive Vote TAUNTON, Mass., May 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The nearly 400 registered nurses and healthcare professionals (HCPs) at Steward Morton Hospital in Taunton, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) and who are currently in contract talks with hospital management, cast an overwhelming "yes" vote yesterday authorizing their local union leaders to call a three-day strike should hospital management continue to refuse to bargain over issues that currently affect their ability to deliver the best possible care to patients. Bogged down in sluggish contract talks since October 2021 due to management's refusal to negotiate in good faith, the RNs and HCPs voted on May 11. The secret-ballot vote was held outside of the hospital in the MNA's mobile/RV unit between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., as well as at the Northwoods Medical Center location. Despite the fact that the contract was set to expire on October 31, 2021, hospital executives refused requests that the MNA members made beginning in the Spring of 2021 to begin bargaining, agreeing to begin just a few weeks before the expiration. The vote follows the April 26th filing of federal unfair labor practice charges by the MNA, on behalf of its Morton members, against Steward Morton Hospital. The charges state that "the Employer has bargained in bad faith over several mandatory subjects of bargaining including … the opening of the MORCAP [substance abuse treatment] unit; safety and security; and the effects of the departure of the Compass Medical Group on the terms and conditions of employment for bargaining unit [members]." Steward's decision to cease making pension contributions is also referenced in the charge. With no explanation they have not made any contributions into the MNA members' pension plan since the last pay period of 2021. The executives have also categorically refused to discuss proposals to protect staff's physical safety in the workplace amidst an increase in violence, worsened by social stresses of the pandemic, as well as the region's growing substance abuse crisis and worsening shortage of psychiatric treatment facilities. In April the MNA asked for the assistance of a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service in the hopes of moving the process forward. In January, the nurses and HCPs held a highly successful public rally that drew considerable public attention to the fact that Morton, a vitally essential community hospital, was in the dire position of being understaffed as many local caregivers were leaving Taunton to work at other area hospitals — including those in Boston. Since then, Morton's RNs and HCPs have been asking hospital executives to do everything possible to "keep healthcare professionals local" by providing the resources, wages and benefits they deserve and that are needed to retain to recruit staff." That request has fallen on deaf ears, however, and the improvements needed to keep staff in Taunton have slipped further away. Currently, there are more than 57 vacancies in nursing and more than 150 vacancies for other valuable healthcare professionals. At the same time, Steward is paying exorbitant sums for national "travel nurses" who are temporarily filling some vacancies instead of investing those resources in market competitive wage improvements that could help stabilize the exodus of local community healthcare workers who are deciding to work elsewhere. Safety, Security, Length on Contract, and Need for Good-Faith Bargaining Also Drive Strike Authorization Vote Numerous other issues also led to members' overwhelming "yes" vote to authorize a possible three-day strike. Those include:
In addition:
Next Steps "With this vote yesterday, the Morton RNs and HCPs made things clear," said Fitts. "We are taking a stand for our patients and for this community. There is no reason for the hospital to refuse to negotiate over such basic and essential improvements. Management may think they are playing hardball, but they really are not listening to the people they count on. Ultimately, management's decisions and their approach at the bargaining table will hurt a community that was already struggling. We see through them, and the community does too. It is time for management to do the right thing and to negotiate in good faith." View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nurses-and-healthcare-professionals-at-morton-hospital-cast-overwhelming-vote-to-authorize-a-three-day-strike-following-their-filing-of-unfair-labor-practice-charge-301546123.html SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association |
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