Jan 21, 2008  
Bargaining – 1/18/08
 
Union's counter proposal concerning Article 21: PTO and ESL.

The union side met early to review our counter proposal which we intended to give to management.

While reviewing our counter, we noticed that we left out a proposal some of our members wanted: to use our ESL for continuing worker's comp related treatment – all the way through to a practitioner's release – instead of using our PTO. Present hospital policy forces employees to use their PTO for such ongoing treatment, such as rehab. So, we added that to our proposal. Later, management did agree to allow ESL for continuing worker's comp related treatment.

Though both sides of the negotiating table still compromise with each other on minor issues and language, when it gets to the "bigger" items, both sides are becoming firmer in their responses and their counters. This is usual for the stage of the negotiations we are now in – financials and union/worker rights. The following are some of the day's sticking points.

On the accrual of PTO and ESL...
We want employees, whether full or part time, to accrue their PTO and ESL on 'all hours worked' while management would only allow accrual on 'straight time worked'. Under the union's proposal part-timers could then also accrue on any hours worked beyond their scheduled hours. Management is holding to the status quo. Both sides agreed that accrual would stop at 80 hours, regardless, in a pay period.

On the option of taking 'time off without pay' in order to save PTO for vacation...
In an effort to guarantee an employee's ability to have a paid vacation at some point during the year, we wanted an option for the employee that once the employee had only 96 hours of PTO left to be able to take time off without pay for the occasional day off so she or he would have PTO left for vacation. Management still wants employees to use their PTO for any days off until it is completely exhausted. Management did allow the use of 'time off without pay' for the employee's vacation if the employee had no PTO at vacation time. We then agreed on this paragraph.

On the PTO and ESL accrual rates...
The ESL accrual rates are the same for both sides. However, there were big differences for the accrual rates for PTO. Management desires to keep the status quo. What follows is a comparison of the annual accrual rates of PTO hours for both sides:

LENGTH OF SERVICE....MANAGEMENT.......UNION
Only first year....................192 hrs......................192 hrs.
2nd thru 4th yrs..................192 hrs......................208 hrs.
5th thru 6th yrs...................232 hrs......................240 hrs.
7th thru 10th yrs.................272 hrs......................280 hrs.
11th thru 15th yrs...............280 hrs......................300 hrs.
More than 15 yrs................288 hrs......................320 hrs.

On the payment of ESL to employees at termination or retirement...
Management stuck to its present policy of only paying employees who were hired before May 31, 1998 if they had worked continuously for 20 years. The union wanted to reward this ESL payout to ANY employee who had worked continuously for 20 years.

On added recognized holidays...
Management agreed to the union's proposal of adding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to the present eight recognized holidays.

On PTO cash-out...
Both sides agreed that at a cash-out:
- a minimum of 80 hours must be kept in the employee's PTO bank
- a minimum of 40 hours must be available to cash-out.
Where the two sides disagreed was on the maximum hours an employee could cash-out. Management kept to the status quo: twice a year, at a maximum cap of only 60 hours each time (120 hours per year). The union proposed once a year, but with NO maximum cap on the amout of hours the employee would like to cash-out of his or her PTO bank.
There was also disagreement on the percentage of the monetary value of the cash-out. Management again stuck to its status quo: the employee would receive only 90% of the value of the PTO. The union received no reasonable explanation for this 10% deduction, so we stayed with our proposal: the employee would receive the full 100% of the value of his or her PTO.
Several of our team felt management's 10% deduction was a type of theft of the employee's hard-earned benefit.

The next date for bargaining is Feb. 7th at the Courtyard, Marriott Hotel, when management will give us their counter proposal on health insurance. Of course, the union is asking for the "Industry Standard" of 100% employer-paid health insurance, which is what the hospital workers in Red Bluff and Redding now receive. This is a benefit we at Enloe used to receive, until Sr. Mgmt. got 'creative' and made us pay for our health insurance. Some of our members put off going to the doctor, because the out-of-pocket costs are so high, as well as the premium costs.

On Feb. 15th the union will present our proposal on wages. Again, we are only asking for what hospital workers in Red Bluff and Redding are now getting. And soon they will open negotiations again, and no doubt, receive yet even higher wages. Industry Standards.

Please come to these very important negotiations, and give your bargaining team support. For more information, contact the bargaining team member in your department, or any team member. Or, contact our union rep, Pat Alvarez, at 624-4256. There are several ways to show your support. Ask your team members, and we'll suggest how.

JN