REPORT: June 2006

A fair wage for Montefiore RNs

by Rolando Tomas Infante

Hundreds of Montefiore Medical Center nurses gathered on May 12 to send management a message: They wouldn’t accept a contract with a wage increase that didn’t approach the cost of living.

Having turned down an offer just two months before that didn’t address inequities in experience differentials, this sea of red that stretched an entire city block told managers who were watching nearby that they would still be in for a tough fight. Less than two weeks later, management backed down from the 18-month dispute. The RNs had won a new four-year contract that provides a significant salary increase without any givebacks.

“Due to a tremendous amount of work on the part of our nurses, we were able to generate a corporate campaign around our issues,” said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, president of the bargaining unit’s Moses Division. “The resulting settlement begins to address some of them, but the community and labor support we cultivated will have far reaching effects in the ongoing struggle for dignity and respect in the workplace and contractual provisions that will one day ensure adequate staffing and safe patient care.”

The 2,300 nurses will receive retroactive base salary increases of 3% for 2005 and 2006; and 3% in 2007, and 3.5% in 2008. This will raise the entry-level base salary to $68,456.

Pay for experience will increase in the contract’s third year, with a proportionate cash payment for less senior nurses. Nurses with less than 20 years of experience will receive a lump sum increase on July 15, 2007, equal to 1% of the base rate salary. Nurses with 20 to 30 years of experience will see an increase from $530 to $650 per step. Nurses at step 30 will see an increase from $29,300 to $30,500. The increase in the third year will be prorated for part time nurses.

RNs will continue with their current health and retirement plans. Should a change of providers result in any alteration of the level of benefits, RNs will be able to choose an alternative premium health plan during the life of the contract.

“We also succeeded in having management recognize the importance of continuous communication in relation to maintaining safe staffing levels,” said Tom Darby, NYSNA’s labor representative. A staff nurse-driven system will be put in place to monitor, evaluate, and potentially improve contractual RN-to-patient staffing ratios. This includes an appeals process that refers unresolved staffing issues to “Care Center” meetings and then to labor-management meetings. If the staffing issue remains unresolved, the RNs can bring in a federal mediator. A provision that will inhibit harassment of nurses who file protests over unsafe assignments was added.

Management will also develop programs to address violence in the workplace with a reporting mechanism on violent incidents. In addition, continuing education funds were increased by 20%.

“Montefiore nurses have won a hard-fought victory,” said Latha Catlin, associate director of NYSNA’s Economic and General Welfare program. “However, the real winner here is the Bronx community that will continue to receive exceptional patient care.”

The contract is fully retroactive to Jan. 15, 2005 and expires Jan. 15, 2009.