Bargaining Update #4

Dear Nursing Team Members,

Today we wrapped up our 4th collective bargaining session with the Union that represents our nurses (NNU) and UCMC.

During this bargaining session, UCMC shared responses and/or counterproposals to several NNU proposals from October 3rd, 2023, and earlier today including bereavement leave, credit for experience, parking, holiday rotations and the annual vacation bid process.

The Union passed counterproposals on holiday rotation, orientation for new employees, and leaves of absence for charity work, and held their position on the other proposals. The NNU passed several new proposals on recognition, accrued vacation time, annual vacation bid, vacation payout for resignation and discharge of employees, an amendment to the newly represented nurse’s seniority side letter, additional language related to infectious disease program section, and discipline. The UCMC team will spend time this evening, and the rest of this week, reviewing these proposals in preparation for our next bargaining session.

I am thrilled to report that we reached a verbal Tentative Agreement on Medical Examination language to include all licensed independent healthcare providers and are much closer related to leaves of absence for charity work.

Remember that bargaining is a process of give and take and while it may seem slow at times, we continue to make good progress and bargain in good faith on both sides of the table – all of us working together towards a fair and equitable contract for our nurses. We are looking forward to our next negotiation session scheduled this Tuesday, October 24th, 2023.

I hope you all have a good evening.

Sarah Kundrat, MSN, RN, NEA-BC,
Assistant Chief Nursing Officer,
Executive Director, Ambulatory Nursing