Local 5185 August 2024 Union Update
On July 31, your Union Officers met with management for our monthly meeting. We brought up your concerns to management so they can be addressed.
Status of CarePoint:
1) CarePoint’s Finances are stable, and have not gotten significantly better or worse since negotiations.
2) There have been rumors that HRH will be taking over soon. This does not appear to be true. Management denies it and there does not appear to be any progress in the State approval process to transfer ownership.
3) Insight’s role as consultant has not changed.
Staffing:
1) CNA/PCPs: We reviewed CNA/PCP staffing. BMC is keeping to the 1:10 ratio (mostly due to low census). It’s important we enforce this now, so we have a leg to stand on when the Census goes up. If you are assigned more than 10 patients, fill out an unsafe staffing form and notify a union rep immediately.
2) Grievance Settlement: You can find our staffing grievance settlement and how it affects your department here: https://www.hpae.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-Staffing-Grievance-Settlement-Signed-518531924.pdf
3) We discussed problem areas for staffing as well as recruitment. These include Radiology, Respiratory, Telemetry, and Oncology. CarePoint is developing relationships with Radiology/Respiratory schools to attract more candidates, but we do not believe there will be major progress until wages go up!
Supplies:
1) We highlighted several supplies that are low, and discussed the uniforms and scrubs supplied by BMC coming out dirty. Management will work to make sure someone is there in the morning to make sure they are clean.
2) Per our Supply Grievance settlement, if your department is short on something (or you think will be short soon), Immediately notify your supervisor. If it is not handled quickly, you can go to the Director of Nursing. Supplies are prioritized by what will keep the Department open, what’s needed to do procedures, and safety devices, then as needed for all other supplies
Downstaffing:
1) Before you are downstaffed, your supervisor must offer you paid time to do classes, HealthStream, etc., if available. This can include Handle With Care, CPR, or Elective Courses on HealthStream.
Union News / Benefits:
1) Local 5185 Contract Extension Agreement: https://www.hpae.org/resources/local-5185-contract/
2) UnionPlus Benefits (discounts on Health, Finance, Education, and more): https://www.unionplus.org/ (use “AFT” as your International).
3) AFT Member Benefits: https://www.aft.org/member-benefits
4) HPAE Member Benefits: https://www.hpae.org/resource/benefits/