HPAE Local 5131 Member Update – July 29, 2022

1. We finished negotiations and members overwhelmingly ratified our new contract last month. The new contract books are in the process of being printed now and we should have them ready for distribution soon. In the meantime, you can go to our local webpage on HPAE.org and find a digital copy if you have any questions. The new wage scale, effective June 1st, with the 6% across-the-board increase is also posted on the page.

2. We worked hard at negotiations to remedy issues staff have been having with call off/standby. We were able to make gains in this contract that include changes in the cancellation order and clear perimeters when standby is utilized. You can now only be placed on standby for your unit and campus. Management must also look at the census, acuity, ED bed alerts, surgical admissions, and pending admissions/transfers before they place an employee on standby. The new order of cancellation in Article 71 is:

1. Per diem Agency nurses, traveling and/or Contract Agency nurses so long as the Traveling and/or Contract Agency nurse can be called off without any financial obligation to Inspira;

2. RNs working PIP/SIP incentive shifts;

3. Designated extra shift pursuant to an incentive contract;

4. Designated extra shift that will result in overtime;

5. Regular FT, PT and weekend employees that volunteer to be called off;

6. Per diem/CRT

7. Designated extra shift that will not result in overtime;

8. Regular FT, PT and weekend employees

3. There has been an update to Inspira’s social media policy in response to some recent employee issues. We want to remind staff to be mindful of how you identify yourself as an Inspira employee online and what you post. We strongly encourage you not to identify yourself an Inspira employee and to not be connected with your managers online.

You are required to obtain consent from other employees if you choose to post a picture of them on a social media site. That can be as simple as getting verbal approval.

You do have rights under National Labor Relations Board that protects speech, but it does not always protect bullying, harassing or violent speech. Remember that what you post on social media will stay there forever.

4. We are in the process of starting virtual new member orientations. Anyone hired after March 2020 unfortunately did not get an introduction from our officers to our local. We will be sending out a Zoom link for these meetings that new staff are welcome to join once we are able to coordinate the details with the hospital.