Union In Brief – September 2014

September 2014

LEGAL, GRIEVANCE AND ARBITRATION VICTORIES

Kaiser Panorama City has agreed to hire at least three new RNs in PACU to settle a grievance filed by KPRNA. Article 16-65 on Core Staffing in our Kaiser contract calls for joint establishment of staffing every year for each unit or module. More RNs could be hired after an agreed-upon full staffing review.

Kaiser Baldwin Park: A Kaiser Baldwin Park RN has been reinstated after the Union filed a grievance alleging that her termination, based on a patient complaint, was unjust. We also filed a charge with the National Labor Relations alleging the discipline was based on union activity. After arbitration was scheduled and an NLRB investigation conducted, the Union was able to win reinstatement to settle both.

SCNSC: When a very experienced Kaiser case manager received a final written warning for a minor first-time offense, the Union immediately grieved the discipline as unjust. After the grievance was approved for arbitration and the Union reached out to Kaiser to schedule the hearing, the Employer removed the corrective action early to avoid arbitration.

St. Francis: We had concerns that St. Francis Medical Center would fail to alert potential buyers of their obligation to honor our contract. It took filing an Unfair Labor Practice charge before SFMC agreed to let us see their template purchase agreement for new buyers, which honors our successorship clause.

POLITICAL AFFAIRS: MEMBERS IN ACTION

Member action has been helping our Political and Legislative Department to increase UNAC/UHCP’s influence in the political world. In June, UNAC/UHCP members worked on the State Senate campaign for Connie Leyva, a fellow union member from UFCW. Leyva has been a strong supporter of UNAC/UHCP, joining us for picket lines, rallies and joint lobbying in Sacramento. She is now poised to be the next Senator for I-10 corridor communities from Pomona to Rialto. Members visited the offices of Assemblyman Jose Medina, State Senator Richard Roth and Congressman Mark Takano to discuss the Parkview Strike and efforts of the Corona Nurses. More than 400 UNAC/UHCP members joined PEOPLE as MVPs in 2014—leading to national recognition at the AFSCME 2014 Convention in Chicago. Congratulations, UNAC/UHCP!