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SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West and SEIU 121RN Reach Landmark Tentative Agreement With Five California Hospitals Owned By HCA

Posted on: Tuesday, 12 September 2006, 15:01 CDT

Calif., Sept. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Last Saturday after 15 straight days of negotiations, the bargaining team for SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West (UHW) and SEIU 121 RN at five California hospitals owned by HCA, Inc. reached a tentative agreement for settlement with their employer. The tentative agreement is a master contract that covers all five hospitals and features enormous gains in the workplace. SEIU UHW and SEIU 121 RN caregivers are scheduled to vote over contract ratification on September 13th at HCA/West Hills Medical Center; September 14th at HCA/Regional Medical Center and HCA/Los Robles Medical Center; September 15th at HCA/Good Samaritan Hospital and HCA/Riverside Community Hospital.

"I commend my hospital's management for agreeing to an industry standard contract that will make a real difference in the quality of care we are able to give patients. We now have a voice in staffing, a training and upgrade fund, and protections against lay-offs and call-offs," said Jean Suyenaga, a Phlebotomist at HCA/Regional Medical Center of San Jose. "This is the beginning of a new day at California HCA hospitals."

The statewide master tentative contract features safe staffing guidelines that offer caregivers the right to strike mid contract over Lay-off, Staffing Issues Committee and Call-off disputes. Additionally, management agreed to return ten previously laid-off Certified Nursing Assistant positions at HCA/West Hills Medical Center. Management at HCA/Riverside Medical Center will pay all Certified Nursing Assistants for time lost during the blanket Call-off that transpired over three days last July and has already returned staffing patterns to their higher pre-July levels.

"My fellow union members and I won this contract because of our extraordinary unity. There is no limit to what healthcare workers can win for their patients and their own future when they are united," said Russell Main, a Respiratory Therapist at HCA/Riverside Community Hospital.

Caregivers also won protection against subcontracting, limits to the use of on-call, and a ban on mandatory overtime. Fully employer paid health insurance for union members and their families was preserved at four of the hospitals. At HCA/Los Robles Medical Center, caregivers and their families won the benefit for the first time.

Additionally, all five HCA hospitals will contribute an amount equal to .22% of all UHW wages each year to the UHW Education Training Trust fund to aid career advancement and improve skills. Registered Nurses represented by SEIU 121 RN at the three HCA hospitals in Southern California won an employer contribution of .22% of all 121 RN wages each year to a newly created RN Educational Assistance Fund. Management at the three Southern California Hospitals will also increase the annual limit on Tuition Reimbursement for all SEIU workers per individual to $2000.

UHW and 121 RN caregivers at the three Southern California hospitals owned by HCA won first ever wage scales phased in through the contract. Most caregivers will receive about 40% wage increases over the life of the contract, with an initial 15% arriving in the first ten months. UHW caregivers at HCA/Regional Medical Center and HCA/Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose will receive a 17% wage increase over the life of the contract. The contract also features a longevity bonus that rewards workers when they reach their 15th and 20th years. Caregivers in 33 classifications that were earning under San Jose market rates were moved to higher pay grades above the across the board increases.

"Not only does this tentative agreement represent tremendous gains in wages and benefits for caregivers, it represents a great win for patients. They will now be receiving care from healthcare workers who have a real voice in staffing, who have access to education upgrade funds, and who are in hospitals that can attract and retain new staff to join some of the best caregivers in the world," said Sal Rosselli, President of SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West.

Nearly 1000 Certified Nursing Assistants; Surgical Technicians; Housekeepers; Dietary Workers; Clerical Workers; Sterile Processing, Emergency Room , Laboratory and Operating Room Technicians; and other healthcare providers are represented by SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West at HCA/Regional Medical Center and HCA/Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. Healthcare workers' previous contract expired at both San Jose hospitals on April 27th, 2006.

Approximately 3000 Registered Nurses; Licensed Vocational Nurses; Certified Nursing Assistants; Surgical, Laboratory, Emergency Room and other Technicians; Respiratory Therapists; Radiology Technologists; Dietary Aides; Environmental Service Workers and other healthcare workers are represented by SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West and SEIU 121 RN at HCA/Riverside Community Hospital, HCA/West Hills Medical Center, and HCA/Los Robles Medical Center. Healthcare workers' previous contract expired at all three Southern California hospitals on June 30th, 2006.

If ratified, the new agreement is set to run at all five hospitals through March 31, 2010.

Contact: Thea Lavin, cell, +1-510-520-7732.

SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West

CONTACT: Thea Lavin, cell, +1-510-520-7732

Web site: http://www.seiu-uhw.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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