SEARCH
Nurses Protest Nationwide Against Sick Leave Cuts, and More Bargaining News |
|
Nurses hold national protest against attempts to cut their sick leave—and more updates here from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,100 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.
WORK STOPPAGES AND JOB ACTIONS
Multiple, Tenet: Registered nurses and hospital workers at facilities owned by Tenet Healthcare Corp., represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) and SEIU, organized a national protest to oppose attempts to cut their access to sick leave. “Every day, we are on the front lines for responding to health threats like the H1N1 virus. It’s basic common sense that nurses and other caregivers should not go to work if we’re sick ourselves. But these cuts will make it harder for us to take care of ourselves. It’s not too late for Tenet to rethink and redo this by restoring our extended sick leave,” said Sherri Stoddard, a member of CNA/NNOC.
UAW, Atlantic City Casinos: Dealers at Bally’s Atlantic City and Caesars Atlantic City casinos, represented by the UAW, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Workers are waging a battle for first contracts after voting to organize nearly two years ago. The casinos are threatening to hire replacement dealers.
IBEW, Penelec Energy: Members of the Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 549 at Penelec Energy in Reading, Pa., a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, ratified a three-year contract and returned to work July 20. Union members had been on strike since May 21.
IBEW, Central Maine Power: Central Maine Power workers, represented by IBEW Local 1837, rallied to demand a contract. The last agreement expired May 15, and negotiations began in March.
NABET-CWA, KSBY: San Luis Obispo, Calif., television workers at KSBY, represented by National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA (NABET-CWA), are asking advertisers to boycott the station. The workers have been without a contract since June. Job security is a key issue, alongside wages.
IAM, Pratt & Whitney: In Connecticut, workers at Pratt & Whitney, represented by the Machinists (IAM), plan to battle company proposals to eliminate 1,000 positions.
NEGOTIATIONS
Multiple, BART: BART workers and members of multiple unions, including the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), AFSCME and SEIU, received notification that BART officials have established a July 30 deadline to come to an agreement. Parties engaged in contract negotiations all week, reportedly with little progress being made. For updates on the ongoing BART negotiations, affecting thousands of workers represented by ATU, AFSCME and SEIU, check out the ATU website, which provides up-to-date highlights: www.realbartworkers.org and related twitter accounts: www.twitter.com/all4runbartrun and www.twitter.com/realbartworkers.
ORGANIZING
OAPSE-AFSCME, Wayne County, Ohio: The transportation department of the Wayne County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) in Ohio voted to unionize, joining the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE-AFSCME). “We thought that having a union would give us a voice,” said MRDD bus driver Sandy Grassman, the new union’s treasurer, noting “basic fairness” was an objective, as was taking seniority into consideration.
SETTLEMENTS
TNG-CWA, Boston Globe: After rejecting an earlier vote, Boston Globe workers and members of The Newspaper Guild-CWA (TNG-CWA) voted to approve a new contract that would save the financially struggling newspaper $10 million. The new contract reduces salaries by nearly 6 percent. It also includes unpaid furloughs, a pension freeze, a reduction in health care benefits and the elimination of lifetime job guarantees.
TNG-CWA, Maui News: Maui News workers, represented by the TNG-CWA, voted to accept a new three-year contract that includes a 10 percent wage cut to help the paper with its financial struggles.
AFT, Wichita Schools: Wichita, Kansas, teachers, represented by the United Teachers of Wichita (AFT), reached a new tentative agreement designed to help the financially struggling school district by freezing salaries and increasing contribution rates to health care insurance premiums.
AFSCME, Naples, Fla.: Naples, Fla., city workers, represented by AFSCME, reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract that would help the financially struggling area by reducing labor costs, but without decreasing the hourly rate of workers.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only. As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.
No Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
