Contract Negotiations Update: VNA Health Group of NJ, LLC (Essex/Hudson) and VNA of Englewood, October 18
Contract Negotiations Update:
HPAE Local 5107 Nurses
VNA Health Group of NJ, LLC (West Orange) and
VNA of Englewood
October 18, 2019We made our wage increase proposal for both worksites. For West Orange nurses our focus is making sure the wage scale is expanded so more experienced nurses are rewarded appropriately for their years of experience. At Englewood we proposed across the board increases for two years. For both worksites, we have proposed that IV visits be weighted differently in accordance with their higher acuity, and that per visit nurses doing IV visits would be paid at a higher rate.
We have made proposals to make the cut-off time to be assigned visits consistent for per diems and full time/part-time nurses. We have a number of agreements on cleaning up outdated holiday contract language as well. Management has not proposed any major takebacks, however we have not received their economic proposals.
Successorship language: To date, management has not agreed to language guaranteeing any new owner will bargain with the union and assume the union contract as is. They have said that no nurses will need to reapply for their jobs, and that all unionized branches of the VNA will continue to be represented by unions, and that they may need to re-open the contract if VNA employees would be covered by Bayada’s benefit plans.
HMH and Englewood: In addition to Bayada’s acquisition of VNA Health Group, Englewood Hospital will be acquired by Hackensack Meridian Health. As Englewood Hospital is a partner in the joint venture, the impact of this remains to be seen. We will monitor the merger and its effects on homecare as the situation progresses.
HPAE Productivity Incentive/Article 31.8(g): REMINDER to all West Orange nurses, when you surpass 32 points in a week, all visits are paid at critical need rates ($35 for a revisit, $40 for a re-cert, $90 for a ROC and $110 for a SOC). Make sure you check your paystub to see you are being paid correctly. Also remember, any scheduled days off in a work week count as six points for that day for the purposes of the productivity bonus.
We have had four bargaining sessions to date for each worksite/contract.
Our next sessions are October 21st for Essex/Hudson and October 22nd for Englewood.
Bargaining Team VNA of Englewood:
Carolyn Iorio and Trish Mangano
Bargaining Team VNA Health Group of NJ, LLC:
Wislande Fleurissant (B61), Tamara Williams (B61), Donna Bailey (B62), Musafau “Adi” Adenaike (B63), Dwana Waters (B65), Dawn Gibson (B65)