August 7, 2020
Dear NJNU Members:
The company and your NJNU-CWA bargaining team met virtually again via GoToMeeting.
The Medical Center responded to most of the pending request for information that the Union has made. We are evaluating those responses in order to understand the way the Medical Center provided the necessary time off for our nurses to protect themselves. Is our intent to keep looking for creative ways to address this issue.
We also continued our lengthy discussions over Personal Protective Equipment, and the ability of the Medical Center to provide our members with enough respiratory protective equipment. Both sides discussed various options, such as reusable equipment and current decontamination practices and procedures. We continue to make proposals to address those issues but we are still not yet in agreement.
As for staffing, after many discussion the parties reached a tentative agreement that improves communications between nurses and managers, addresses the future EPIC tool that will be implemented in the medical center, improves communication during pandemic emergencies among others.
Finally after the Union evaluated the employer’s cost analysis and the financial information provided, we made a new Wage Proposal. Now is the Medical Center’s turn to provide a counter proposal to both Wages and Shifts and Differentials.
As we move forward we need the Members to step up Mobilization efforts. We continue to ask our nurses to join us and take a picture of yourself or you with your colleagues (like the one attached) and text it to NJNU:
Holding your arm up, hand closed as a sign of strength, support, and solidarity for your team and Union.
Make sure there are no patient or SBMC identifiers in the picture
Any location is fine - it could be taken at home, in the parking garage, in the cafeteria, lounge, etc, but not in a patient care area
Any attire is fine, but scrubs or other work-related gear, or a CWA shirt will look the most powerful (just remember - no SBMC identifiers)
Text your picture to NJNU 973-975-6764 or mrefinski@njnu.org
We'll be sharing pictures on social media as well as including them in a press release to let the public know NJNU CWA Local 1091 nurses are in full support of our negotiating team and are fighting for a fair contract!
It will be a message demanding SBMC to bargain with the Union to get a fair contract that recognizes our nurses contribution during the pandemic and that will honor the words from the hospitals: that we were and are heroes. We also received our NJNU and we are ready to distribute those with any member that don’t have.
We are scheduled to meet next week on Thursday and Friday. Remember that all the terms and conditions of the prior contract remain in place, with the exception of the arbitration provisions.
Make sure you're signed up to receive news and updates via text message by texting the word "NursesNJ" to 69866.
An Injury To One, Is An Injury To All.
Your Bargaining Team.