2012 Conference Report:

Transcription

1 WINTER Conference Report: Health Care Workers Learn and Lead Together I n America s free-market health care system, management s relentless drive to cut costs and improve financial performance often gets priority over the needs of patients and the workers who care for them. As a result, health care workers who keep the system functioning every day face a disconnected reality between the goal of providing quality patient care and the system, or processes in place, for delivering that care. Photo by Steve Dietz For the nearly 200 USW members who attended the USW s Health Care Workers Council conference last fall in San Diego, the problems are many and permeate nearly every type of workplace in the diverse sector. The most important part of the conference was meeting our health care brothers and sisters from all across our union and listening to their issues in the workplace, said Darryl Ford, president of Local 254, which represents American Red Cross employees in Atlanta. We learned that the issues we face are the same nearly everywhere. CHRONIC UNDERSTAFFING Rachel Notley, New Democratic Party (NDP) Representative to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Canada and keynote speaker at the USW Health Care Workers Conference in San Diego. Arguably, the most pervasive issue that plagues health care workers, and therefore the patients they serve, is chronic understaffing. Understaffing in hospitals and long-term care facilities can lead to what Canadian politician Rachel Notley described in her keynote speech to the conference as degrading circumstances. Patients are not fed on time and not bathed regularly. Dressing changes are delayed and medications are not given on schedule, said Notley, a former health and safety officer for the Health Sciences Association of British Columbia and a fiery advocate for both caregivers and seniors in long-term care. This is happening because facilities are not putting enough workers on shift to treat patients with the care, respect and dignity they deserve, said Notley, a New Democratic Party representative to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. COLLECTIVE POWER The council provides the 45,000 USW members in health care occupations an avenue to address important patient-care issues that non-union workers do not have: the collective power of their union, said International Vice President Fred Redmond, who oversees the sector. continued on page 2

2 After 13 months of strenuous bargaining, the 85 members at Mary Breckinridge Hospital in Hyden, Ky., ratified their first union contract. The peace of mind that comes with knowing that the hospital no longer has the ability to unilaterally cut our wages, benefits and working conditions is one of the best things about winning this contract, said bargaining committee member and Recording Secretary Barb Lewis. The solidarity of the membership empowered the bargaining committee to negotiate L-R: Barb Lewis, Junior Stedham, Chris Williams, Jennifer Hacker an incredibly strong first contract, which includes a union shop, adherence to progressive discipline and just cause, and recognition of seniority for job bidding, layoffs and reduction of hours. In the past, we never knew when our wages or hours would be cut or if our benefits would change. Now, everything that we rely on in order to provide for our families and provide good patient care is set by the contract. For our members, our patients, and our families that s a huge win, said Ms. Lewis Conference Report: Health Care Workers Learn and Lead Together (Continued from page 1) Health care is a growing sector for the United Steelworkers and we are all committed to providing our health care members with the tools you need to build strong local unions and revitalize our council, Redmond said. Colleen Wooten, unit president at Local and a customer service representative at Express Scripts Pharmacy in North Versailles, Pa., cautioned that simply being a member of a union is not enough. You have to be smart about how you engage that potential power, she said, adding that is why she found the training available at the conference to be very important. BUILDING SKILLS empowered us to more effectively utilize our collective power to improve those issues through building better health and safety committees, engaging our membership more fully during contract negotiations and how to influence the political process, Wooten said. We learned how to tell our stories and share our experiences as health care workers to the public. STAND UP, FIGHT BACK Four years ago, Flo Adaya knew nothing about the USW except that its members included factory and oil refinery workers as well as copper miners. Today she is treasurer of Local 2801 at the Long Beach Memorial Hospital in Long Beach, Calif. The training, specifically designed to build skills for health care professionals and union leaders, covered issues such as collective bargaining for health care specific issues, building power for contract campaigns, strategies for challenging understaffing, and safety and health concerns such as handling of blood borne pathogens and patient lifting. The conference was an opportunity for health care members to learn together and lead together, to help build up the labor movement and give it the strength needed to advocate for better patient care. The ability to communicate the ways in which health care workers provide and care for their communities was a common theme of the conference. Not only did the facilitators truly understand health care workers and what we face in the workplace, but they I have to admit that although we have a strong local union, the connection between health care workers and the USW was not always obvious to me, she said. That void, she said, was filled at the conference. I now understand how we, as health care workers, fit into the United Steelworkers. Meeting with other USW brothers and sisters from other states who have many other types of health care employers, I found that we share many of the same issues. By connecting with other members of the council, we were able to come up with possible solutions to resolve important issues like short staffing, Adaya said. Now, there is a true and strong statement that I hold close to me, not only as a health care worker, but as a United Steelworker: Stand up! Fight Back! 2

3 Kentucky Hospital Workers Reach Settlement After 15-Year Struggle January 18, 2013 (PITTSBURGH) Almost 15 years after joining the United Steelworkers (USW), 200 workers at Kentucky River Medical Center (KRMC) in Jackson, Ky., reached a tentative agreement on a contract with the hospital s owners. The workers voted in May of 1998 to join the USW, but union-busting tactics employed by the KRMC s owners, Tennessee-based health care giant Community Health Systems (CHS), resulted in more than a decade of delays. Over the years, the company refused to bargain in good faith, fired workers for union activity, brought in replacements, unilaterally changed conditions of employment, and committed numerous other infractions. Even when they lost court cases, KRMC often refused to abide by the orders and appealed the decisions. In 2011, the hospital was found to be in contempt and ordered back to the bargaining table under one of the strictest orders in the history of the National Labor Relations Board. Almost all of the fired workers were reinstated, and the company was forced to pay nearly $750,000 in back wages. USW International President Leo W. Gerard said the length of the KRMC workers struggle proves that reforms are necessary to U.S. labor law to ensure that workers get the recognition they deserve in a timely manner. It s outrageous that these workers had to wait 15 years It s outrageous that these workers had to wait 15 years for a contract because of one greedy company, Gerard said. We re happy to see that this day has come, but we must work to make sure this never happens again. for a contract because of one greedy company, Gerard said. We re happy to see that this day has come, but we must work to make sure this never happens again. Leo W. Gerard, USW International President The USW reached a oneyear agreement that includes strong provisions on seniority, grievance and arbitration, and contract work, as well as above-market pay increases. The workers will vote on the agreement next week.* USW District 8 Director Billy Thompson said the KRMC union members deserve credit for standing together. These brave workers proved that solidarity, brotherhood and sisterhood still mean something, Thompson said. Randy Pidcock, who served as the USW s chief negotiator and who worked on the KRMC organizing campaign since 1998, said the KRMC workers never gave up despite years of uncertainty. It s been 15 years, but our work is just beginning, Pidcock said. Now, we must move forward, continue to stand up and build on what we ve accomplished. * Kentucky River Medical Center s agreement was ratified. 3

4 Health Care Workers Council to Roll-Out Safe Staffing Survey for Nursing Home and Hospital Members Health Care members across the spectrum of the medical profession point to one issue as being the overwhelming priority: Safe Staffing. The relationship between regulated registered nurse-to-patient ratios and quality patient care is well documented and legislative standards regarding nurse-to-patient ratios have been pursued to varying levels of success federally and in several states. The United Steelworkers believes strongly that the conversation around safe staffing has been too narrowly defined. We believe it is important to pursue a more comprehensive view of safe staffing; one that recognizes the vital role that all health care workers play in a patient s overall care. Every worker in a health care setting plays an important role in delivering quality patient care. In order to expand the national conversation about safe staffing, we need to hear from you! This spring we are rolling-out a USW Health Care Workers Council survey in the United States and Canada to capture the experience of a wide range of health care workers who work in inpatient facilities. The results of the survey will be: Made available to all USW local unions representing workers in in-patient facilities, to use as support data at the bargaining table to bargain for safer staffing; Given to Rapid Response Coordinators, District Directors, and USW Lobbyists to use to pursue safe staffing legislation at the state level; Used to initiate a broader conversation on safe staffing on Capitol Hill, Main Street and everywhere. The more participation we have, the more useful the results of the survey. In order to make the survey as accessible as possible, we will post the survey online and make it available via hardcopy upon request. What you can do RIGHT NOW: Contact Mandy Hartz to sign up for our Focus Group to finalize our survey. Space is limited for this one time commitment so be sure to mhartz@usw.org ASAP. Copy this handout and distribute widely. The more your members know about the upcoming survey, the more results will come in, and the more useful the tool will be. Every local must return at least one survey but we hope it will be a whole lot more!!! Get ready! The survey will be here before you know it. 4

5 Healthcare workers in Fontana protest Kaiser staff cuts Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin by Melissa Pinion-Whitt, Staff Writer Posted: 12/18/ :18:46 PM PST Updated: 12/18/ :42:19 PM PST FONTANA - Registered nurses and other employees crowded street corners near Kaiser Permanente Medical Center on Tuesday, fighting against what union officials call unfair cuts in medical staffing. The roughly 100 picketers marked the end of the "Days of Protest," a series of demonstrations by thousands of registered nurses, physician assistants and nurse practitioners at Kaiser facilities. Bundled in raincoats and gloves, workers carried plastic-covered signs in the morning drizzle. They chanted, "Who let the unions out?" followed by a series of dog barks, a spin-off of a song by the Baha Men. Registered nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and supporters protest cuts Tuesday to patient care that will result in cuts to RNs and other positions at Kaiser in Fontana. (Rachel Luna/Staff Photographer) "We love Kaiser, we appreciate our jobs at Kaiser, but we're just really disappointed in it right now," said Maddie Chero, a patient support services representative at the hospital. Between the Fontana and Ontario hospitals, as well as medical offices around San Bernardino County, 85 people received layoff notices in mid November, said Jennifer Resch-Silvestri, hospital spokeswoman. Workers argue that cuts will jeopardize patient care. They've also protested that employees - some working for the organization for as many as 40 years - were among the people on the list, while other employees with less seniority were not cut. "I think they need to go by the rules," said Carol Dyer, another patient support services representative for the hospital. Resch-Silvestri said Kaiser disagrees that the contract requires consideration of seniority with regard to staff cuts. Chero and Dyer are not among the employees who received layoff notices. Kaiser responded to the union's protests in a written statement, saying that many of the employees slated to be cut will be given opportunities to stay with the organization because Kaiser anticipates patient growth during the next year. "These actions do not in any way affect or jeopardize patient care and services to our members," Kaiser officials said. "In fact, this action is part of a series of cost-reduction initiatives to ensure we can continue to keep healthcare costs for our members as affordable as possible, while also meeting the many changing dynamics in today's health care market." Kaiser officials also said that the employees will continue working at hospitals for as long as a year, receiving pay and benefits during that time. But union officials say there are no guarantees that all 85 employees will be absorbed by Kaiser by the end of that year. "In concept, it sounds good, but in practical application, it may not be the same," Chero said. 5

6 Should you be screened for Hepatitis C? Know your status before it s too late! Vertex creates new possibilities in medicine to cure diseases and improve people s lives. Vertex s Community Outreach Program partners with organizations to raise awareness of hepatitis C, with a goal to increase rates of screening, testing and linkage to care. To learn more, CommunityOutreachProgram@ vrtx.com. A major health issue facing our country today is a silent and deadly liver disease called hepatitis C. i Over 5 million Americans are infected with hepatitis C. However, 75 percent of people don t know they have it. ii Baby boomers (born during ) represent 76.5 percent of all people with hepatitis C in the United States. iii To complement previous guidelines based on risk factors, the CDC recently updated their guidelines recommending that all boomers have a simple, one-time antibody test to check for hepatitis C. 3,4 People at increased risk for hepatitis C include those who had blood transfusions before 1992, people with tattoos, people who used intravenous drugs even once and those who work in a healthcare setting. iv Certain populations, including African Americans and Hispanics, are also affected at a significantly higher rate than the v, vi general population. People often live for decades with hepatitis C without knowing because there are often no symptoms until serious liver damage occurs. vii Deaths from hepatitis C are on the rise, viii and the disease is the leading cause of liver cancer and liver failure, and the most common reason for liver transplantation in the United States. iv But the good news is that for many patients hepatitis C can be cured. ix Routine physicals do not test for hepatitis C, so ask your doctor to be screened for hepatitis C at your next appointment. For more information on hepatitis C, visit ToKnowC.com. i Chak, E, et. al. Hepatitis C Virus Infection In USA: An Estimate of True Prevalence. Liver Int. 2011; ii Colvin HM, Mitchell AE, eds. Hepatitis and liver cancer: a national strategy for prevention and control of hepatitis B and C. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Available at: Accessed October 3, iii Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations for the Identification of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection among Persons Born between MMWR 2012;61(No. RR-4):1-18. iv Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis C FAQs for the Public. Accessed October 3, v Hepatitis C and Latinos. Hepatitis C Support Coalition Available at: Accessed October 3, vi Pearlman BL. Hepatitis C in African Americans. Clin Infect Dis. 2006;42: vii United States Department of Health & Human Services. Combating the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis: Action Plan for the Prevention, Care & Treatment of Viral Hepatitis. Accessed June 7, viii Ly KN, et al. The Increasing Burden of Mortality From Viral Hepatitis in the United States Between 1999 and Ann Intern Med. 2012;156: ix Pearlman BL and Traub N. Sustained Virologic Response to Antiviral Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Cure and So Much More. Clin Infect Dis Apr;52(7):