Fremont-Rideout Management Walks Out Of Talks - Hospital Lawyer Berates RNs Rather Than Work To Resolve Dispute As Strike Looms

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Article Date: 05 Oct 2007 - 13:00 PDT

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Fremont-Rideout Health Group officials walked out of contract negotiations Thursday, slamming the door on efforts by registered nurses to resolve differences and avoid a strike that now seems certain next week.

Thursday's meeting was called by a federal mediator at the request of the RNs who made substantial revisions to their economic proposals in an effort to break the stalemate.

However, hospital attorney Larry Arnold proceeded to berate the nurse negotiating team, demanded the nurses withdraw proposals to protect patient safety, and refused to respond to the nurses' recent proposals or offer any new proposals from the hospital. Then he and other management representatives stormed out.

The hospital's hard line stance leaves the RNs no option but to proceed with a strike planned for October 10 and 11, nurses said today. The 500 RNs at Rideout Memorial Hospital, Fremont Medical Center, Feather River Surgical Center, and Fremont-Rideout Cancer Center are represented by the California Nurses Association.

"Nurses came to the table today determined to resolve the issues that divide us from the hospital administration so we can pull together to solve the very real problems this hospital has in assuring high quality care for the community," said nurse negotiator Karen Miles, an RN at the Cancer Center.

"Instead we were subjected to verbal abuse from the hospital's lead negotiator, a refusal to address our concerns, followed by a walkout by the hospital management. That shows a lack of regard for the nurses, but worse, a serious disregard for our community, where we also live, and our patients who we have dedicated our lives to serve."

"FRHG management is trying to blame CNA for all its problems. What they are not getting is that the problems existed way before CNA came along," said Heather Avalos Rideout ICU RN and a nurse negotiator. A California HealthCare Foundation survey this year rated the hospitals as "Below Average" and "Poor" in the areas of patient care.

"The nurses are trying very hard to make our hospitals better for patients and nurses," Avalos said.

http://www.calnurses.org