Children’s Mobile Response Victory
As your new HPAE Rep, I am happy to share a recent victory with you on an issue important to our department. We write to highlight how we reached this victory — to celebrate our success and to inspire us to work together on the issues that matter.
We Stood Together – Weekend Work Deserves Time Off
Management refused to grant comp days to members who worked weekend call shifts. We discussed the issue in membership meetings. We agreed that given our heavy caseloads, we need time off to regroup and recharge. Weekend work may be needed, but time off is essential. Together we advocated for comp time credit for weekend work. Members worked in coordination across our department and with our HPAE leadership and staff teams to make our plan to win. Collectively, we requested existing weekend work balances while advocating for comp time for all work done outside regular working hours, something we are proud is afforded to everyone through our contract.
Management Will Honor Our Demand for Time Off
Management announced in our last staff meeting that comp time is returning. When we work over the weekend, regardless of time worked, we will be granted a comp day off during the week. Transactional comp time is also returning as well. In addition, we have been notified there will be 10 new jobs posted for our unit addressing the short staffing we now face.
If you have worked a weekend, this is what you should do now:
- Send Susan the dates worked over weekend call shifts and copy me to ensure that we are keeping good records to ensure members are given time owed to us.
- Keep the communication going. If you experience a violation to our contract or your rights in the workplace, report it. Share what you are seeing with me and in coordination with our HPAE leadership teams, know you are part of a winning union here to stand with you when it counts.
We did this together. This is our victory. I am proud to step up as the new HPAE Rep for our unit. This role is one I take very seriously, and I appreciate your trust. It is my hope that we can continue to build on this victory to see that everyone is treated fairly, equally, and with the respect that we deserve.
In solidarity,
Justin Deberardinis
HPAE Union Rep, Children’s Mobile Response