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

Hello Nursing Team Members,

The third collective bargaining session with NNU and UCMC was held today. The UCMC team made a new proposal regarding scheduling under Float/Supplemental Team. UCMC also passed counterproposals regarding Bereavement, Credit for Experience and Posting on Bulletin Boards.

NNU made new proposals regarding Non-Nursing Duties, Termination of Employment, Parking and Pay Check Shortages. They also passed counter proposals regarding Bereavement, Transfers and Credit for Experience.

Both sides will review the proposals in preparation for our next bargaining session. We will continue to move forward in good faith toward achieving an equitable and fair contract. We look forward to session four on October 19, 2023.

Alesia A. Coe, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE,
Associate Chief Nursing Officer,
Vice President for Adult Inpatient Hospitals.

Dear Nursing Team Members,

Today we held our second collective bargaining session with the Union that represents our nurses (NNU) and UCMC.

During this bargaining session, UCMC shared responses and/or counterproposals to the NNU proposals from September 14, 2023, related to Union dues, NNU Representatives’ access to UCMC, Orientation, Leaves of Absence, Credit for Experience, Medical Examination, Resignation Notice, Death in the Family, Meeting Facilities, Posting of Notices and Transfers.

Our UCMC team made a proposal under Holiday Rotation and Christmas Eve/New Year’s Eve related to holiday shifts in perioperative & procedural areas to avoid undue burden on nurses.

I am happy to report that we reached verbal Tentative Agreements on Medical Examination and Union dues. The Union passed counterproposals on Leaves of Absence and Posting of Notices and held their position on the other proposals. The NNU passed a proposal on Workplace Violence Prevention and the UCMC team will spend time this evening, and into the coming week, reviewing this proposal.

Both sides appreciated the movement and sought clarity on each other’s responses/counterproposals. We all continue to work in good faith toward achieving a fair and equitable contract and we are looking forward to our next negotiation session schedule for October 3rd, 2023.

Sally Walton, DNP, MBA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, FACHE,
Associate Chief Nursing Officer,
Executive Director, Patient Care Services

Dear Nursing Team Members,

Today we held our first collective bargaining session with the union that represents our nurses (NNU) and UCMC.

During this initial bargaining session, we took some time to get to know each other. Our nurses shared some truly inspiring stories about their journey to UCMC, their accomplishments, and their goals for our new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Our nursing leaders also shared with the team who they are and what has led them to their role as an Associate Chief Nursing Officer (ACNO) at UCMC.

The NNU shared several proposals that addressed union dues, NNU Representatives’ access to UCMC, meeting facilities scheduling, proposals around the transfer of nurses to different units, and feedback to nurses who are not selected for internal transfers. Our team will spend time this evening, and in the coming week, reviewing these proposals to provide counterproposals to the NNU.

As Emily shared in her communication yesterday, bargaining is a process, and at times can seem slow. The proposals that were shared today are exactly what we would expect to see at this point in the process.

Andrew Carnegie said, “Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward shared objectives is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” It was clear from our discussions today, that our nurses, the NNU business agents, and UCMC are working toward a common goal – a fair and equitable contract.

Jeff Murphy, DNP, RN, CEN, NEA-BC,
Vice President Comer Children’s Hospital
Associate Chief Nursing Officer