Fall 2016 Council Members
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NEWSLETTER OF MNA REGION 5 VOLUME SEVEN, ISSUE FOUR • Fall 2016 Council Members Fabiano Bueno, Chair Carney Hospital Joan Ballantyne, Vice Chair Norwood Hospital Katie Christopher, Secretary Boston Medical Center Many nurses have been asking their reps, “Why is management mandating me to stay? I thought there was a law against it.” The answer is YES THERE IS A LAW and Dan Rec, Treasurer management is choosing to break it. Unfortunately, there is no monetary fine attached to B&W Faulkner Hospital the law, so we need to work together to help enforce it. MNA Board Rep (2016-2018) Dan Rec, B&W Faulkner Hospital First, we need to make this an issue for discussion during our labor/management committee meetings. Second, we have to say NO. The law states we have the right to do MNA Board Rep (2015-2017) so unless there is an emergency. An emergency is not an existing staffing hole or a sick Joan Ballantyne, Norwood Hospital call. But sometimes we are our worst enemy. We do it because our patients need us and vacant At-Large (2016-2018) we do not want to put our patients or staff at risk. This is what management relies on. If we VACANT continue, management will not address our problems with unsafe staffing. vacant At-Large (2016-2018) VACANT If your manager tries to require you to work beyond your shift, please follow these steps: 1. Ask the manager if she/he is mandating you to stay. If the answer is NO; it is your At-Large (2015-2017) choice whether or not to work overtime. If the answer is YES, it is against the law and it Kirsten Ransom, St. Elizabeth’s is your right to refuse. At-Large (2015-2017) 2. If the manager, even after being informed of the law, continues to insist that you stay, vacant VACANT inform the manager that you are working under protest and you will be reporting the unlawful mandatory overtime to the MNA and to DPH. It will also be beneficial to have a written letter stating the enforcement from your manager. Each of these R5 facilities holds an elected 3. Follow up by notifying a committee member and fill out the form we have created to voting rep. at R5 council meetings: report violations of the law to DPH at www.massnurses.org/labor-action/reporting- American Red Cross forms. Boston Medical Center 4. If you continue to refuse, give a verbal or written report to another nurse (even a Boston VNA supervisor or manager). If written, have it state, “This written report now concludes my Brigham & Women’s Hospital shift.” The BORN does not consider this an abandonment. Brigham & Women’s Faulkner Hospital CHA Cambridge Hospital CHA Everett Hospital Remember, the law does NOT allow for mandatory overtime because of routine staffing CHA Somerville Hospital issues. The law is very specific about what constitutes an exception, including a Carney Hospital government-declared emergency; a catastrophic event such as a natural disaster or act of Dana Farber Cancer Institute terrorism; or an unforeseen hospital emergency. Dialysis Clinic, Inc. Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Hospital management must stop violating the law. It is a dangerous practice that harms Medford School Nurses patients and nurses. But we need your help to make a change. Follow the steps provided Newton Public Health here and we can fight back against unlawful mandatory overtime! Just say NO. Newton-Wellesley Hospital Norwood Hospital In This Issue: Quincy Medical Center Satellite St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center Tufts Medical Center Bargaining Unit Updates Page 2 Unit 7 (state facilities) Representative Greater Boston Labor Council Page 2 MNA Regional Council 5 MNA Continuing Ed Page 3 340 Turnpike St, Canton 02021 MNA 2016 Convention Reimbursement MNA Email Page 3 781-821-8255 TEL • 781-821-8256 FAX Reimbursement Deadline: 12/14/16 MNA Convention Page 3 [email protected] download a form at www.massnurses.org/region5 Save the Dates Page 4 www.facebook.com/massnurses www.massnurses.org/region5/forms Harriett Duggan, Office Manager MNA Labor School Page 4 Brian Moloney, Community Organizer Page 1 Bargaining Unit Updates Brigham & Women’s Hospital grievances not posting sabbatical per contract, and protracted staffing issues mostly stemming submitted by Trish Powers. not holding per diems to commitment. Had from the lack of consistent ancillary help. Serious staffing issues continue on grievance on getting more positions in MPU; Norwood had a great showing at the MNA many units and we are scheduled won that one which was great! You need to be Convention in Danvers. RNs enjoyed several to meeting with the hospital on on constant observation with Steward. wonderful speakers, learned some new stuff, November 10 to discuss nurses’ networked with our colleges from other hospitals numerous concerns. Our first Medford School Nurses submitted by Allison and witnessed our beloved Roz Feldberg meeting to discuss safety and security issues MacGilvray. Medford nurses have spent most of receive the MNA Advocate Award. Mark your with the hospital is also scheduled for our new year getting oriented to our new calendars for next year people! November. We extend our heartfelt computer system, School Brains. We are all congratulations to Liz Dalton, from the CCU, on making good progress. We continue to work as receiving the Kathryn McGinn Cutler Advocate a team to make sure all of our students are for Health and Safety Award at the MNA healthy and safe! Convention. Liz has shown great courage and advocacy following her assault by a family Norwood Hospital submitted by member last year. Joan Ballantyne. By the time you are all reading this the universe will have Brigham & Women’s Faulkner righted itself and Kathy Reardon will Hospital submitted by Kathy have resumed her rightful place in Roz Feldberg (center) with Norwood Hospital nurses Glennon & Dan Rec. We ratified our the ER at Norwood. The worker three-year contract for one of the bees (RN’s) at Norwood held down Tufts Medical Center submitted better settlements out of the the fort while she was gone and I am glad to by Mary Havlicek Cornacchia. As partners group. We obtained parity report no major incidents or issues. The ICU is we trudge sluggishly through to Newton-Wellesley Hospital at top and bottom working on the new Steward-wide acuity tool. negotiations, hospital administration salary scales, better security language, no loss Our telemetry floor is experiencing prolonged has stepped up their game by of wages if injured by a violent patient, creating an update page linked to discussions to decrease charge nurse the hospital website in order for assignments and no takeaway from our MNA Region 5 is a member of the anyone to read their spin. It has actually been insurance benefits. We agreed to have a wage helpful to the committee because it is driving our re-opener in April of 2018. We are still having members to ask us questions and get engaged MOT in the ED and psych floor due to sick calls in the process. We have almost half of the and understaffing but hopefully this will improve bargaining unit on our Facebook page. The with additional staff. We will be appointing a new committee created Halloween baskets for each executive member due to the resignation of floor and clinic area filled with goodies buttons/ Janice Berman, who was a great addition to our This means: stickers, committee contact info and other key team. Janice wants to enjoy her per diem status MNA Region 5 is a member of the info. We will host an open meeting on 11/29 and spend more time with her family. umbrella organization for labor unions in plan to announce actions going forward. We the greater Boston area. remain true to our fight for adequate staffing and Cambridge Health Alliance MNA Region 5 has the opportunity to language governing the floating of core staff. submitted by Susan Wright Thomas. There is a large number of travel staff in the A newly-organized executive send delegates to GBLC monthly house which is concerning. We have not lost committee and negotiating team is meetings. Our voices will be heard! Our sight of our need to protect our current benefits beginning to prepare for contract votes will count! and push for more competitive wages across the negotiations expected to begin this MNA Region 5 can network, access board. We don't have enough nurses to staff the winter. The Cambridge unit is pleased to honor outreach opportunities and attend beds we have now and the hospital is looking to the accomplishments of our nurses. Bronwyn solidarity events. expand. We need to recruit and retain but that Mastrangelo was recognized with the Excellence won't happen until we are market competitive. in Nursing Practice Award and Suzy Dailey, Liz If you would like to be considered for appoint- Stay tuned...we are just beginning to step it up Barboza, and Karin Ash earned the Elaine ment as a delegate to the GBLC, please contact: and out. Cooney Labor Relations Award from MNA. Two Brian Moloney, Region 5 Community Organizer of our ICU nurses, Donna Mondeau and Jen [email protected] • 781-830-5704 Whidden Hospital submitted by Polleys were celebrated in the New York Times ================================== Carla Cerrato. Whidden has a new for their compassion and outstanding care of a negotiating committee. The patient and family in tragic circumstances. All of MNA R5 purchased a table at the GBLC Labor members are co-chairs Carla these nurses credit their Day breakfast. The event was held at the Park Cerrato and Jim Winnett; secretary colleagues' collaboration and support in their Plaza Hotel.