Fremont-Rideout Delays Negotiations - Another Strike Possible (Nursing)

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 25 Sep 2007 - 19:00 PDT

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At the request of the California Nurses Association, the federal mediator contacted Fremont-Rideout Health Group and asked the parties to meet this week. The registered nurses agreed to the proposed date of Wednesday, September 26, but FRHG refused.

After RNs directly called on Bill Bravos, Chairman of the FRHG Board of Directors, to direct their attorney to meet, hospital officials have said they are available October 4, but are still refusing to move on any of their proposals. The CNA nurse negotiating team stands ready and willing to meet and negotiate.

"FRHG has shown a complete disrespect for the nurses, for the patients that our proposals are written to protect, and for the laws that guarantee the rights of workers to negotiate a fair contract in an atmosphere free of intimidation and harassment," said Heather Avalos, an RN in the Intensive Care Unit at Rideout Memorial Hospital and a member of the CNA nurse negotiating team.

CNA has filed multiple unfair labor practice charges against FRHG for discrimination and retaliation against union supporters, failing to bargain in good faith and making unilateral changes to work policies without negotiation. "We may need to take action to make Fremont-Rideout follow the law," added Karen Miles, an RN at Fremont-Rideout Cancer Center and a member of the CNA nurse negotiating team.

The NLRB is currently investigating the charges, which are continuing on a daily basis. RNs will discuss what their options are, which may include a second strike, at membership meetings on Thursday, September 27.

Representing some 75,000 RNs in 50 states, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee is the largest and fastest-growing association of direct-care RNs in the nation.

http://www.calnurses.org