Keck Hospital bargaining update (June 8, 2021)
Published Tuesday, June 8, 2021Today was an important day in the negotiations process for NUHW members at Keck Hospital, Norris Cancer Center, the Ambulatory Clinics, and the Alhambra Call Center. We met today for the first time as a combined group at the same bargaining table. Hospital CEO Rod Hanners and our Union President Sal Rosselli joined the meeting in the morning to open up the discussion. Rod Hanners expressed that Hospital leadership is committed to settling a fair contract that pays all NUHW members market leading wages. As a committee we are eager to see Keck come through on their commitments, and we do approach these negotiations in good faith and take it as a positive sign that the CEO is aware that management needs to do more and resolve all of the issues.
The day commenced and we presented comprehensive proposals for all three bargaining units on all of the outstanding issues, including economics, benefits, holidays, time off, hours of work, health and safety, education benefits, management rights, subcontracting, union security, work stoppage, entire agreement, vacation scheduling, parking, term and attendance. Among our top priorities include wage parity with the top hospitals in the region, restoring our Norris Holiday pay, benefits parity between hospitals, clinics and call center, the attendance issue, restoration of our retirement and increasing our standby and other fringe benefits.
The Hospital’s new spokesperson, Vice President for HR Matt McElrath, reconvened the parties and proposed 3 articles that we can tentatively agree to at Keck-Norris: union security, work stoppage and entire agreement. For work stoppage, they had been proposing that we not have the ability to picket or leaflet during the life of our contract, they dropped that offensive proposal and agreed to maintain the status quo. Our committee stood strong and defended our union power.
While we were hoping for a more comprehensive proposal, we understand that the Hospital will be working to address our core issues at all three bargaining units on Thursday. We feel stronger now that we are at the same table and have the support of the entire membership to call for a strike if we need to. We will plan on returning to negotiations this Thursday and will report back as soon as we are done.
Mark Delgado, Surgical Tech
NUHW Steward and Bargaining Committee