Follow up on Last Week’s local 5107 UMC Union Meeting

Thank you to everyone who attended our Union Meeting last week.

1. Staffing Grievance: Your Negotiations Committee has met with Management regarding our first Staffing Grievance. Management has agreed to establish a partnership on staffing, not double count RNs towards the CNA ratio, and make every effort to schedule admits/moves for days/times when there is sufficient staffing. Management still wants to be able to order RNs to fill CNA shifts. We are scheduling a Step 3 Grievance hearing for this week to address this. More Updates to Come!
2. Sub-Acute: We discussed some new issues that are unique to the sub-acute units at each facility. We discussed the possibility of pushing for an extra nurse on each Unit and/or reinstating the Sub-Acute Differential.
3. We discussed the possibility of UMC members participating in the HPAE Retiree Medical Trust. People were generally supportive and wanted more information: https://www.hpae.org/resource/rmt/
4. New CMS Rules: We discussed the new rules that CMS has put out this month. Although our union has been lobbying for these rules for years, there is still some vagueness on how they would affect UMC. Once we get some clarity, from experts, your Negotiations Team will push Management to follow or exceed them.
5. Write your Legislator today: pass the NJ Safe Staffing bill: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/pass-the-patient-protection-and-safe-staffing-act/

Most importantly; there is no Union without U!

Winning these staffing fights means we need to show management we are strong and united EVERY DAY. Continue to fill out your Staffing Variance Forms and Missed Break Forms, and if your Negotiations Team asks you sign a petition, wear a button, etc in support of their efforts, please do so!

Staffing Variance Form: https://www.hpae.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/UMC-STAFFING-VARIANCE-REPORT.pdf

Missed Break Form: https://www.hpae.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/UMC-Missed-Break-Form.pdf

In solidarity,

Your Union Negotiations Committee