Bargaining Update for University Hospital, February 2, 2019

1. Once again, management rejected every proposal that we made in the last session, including language on Hostile Work Environment. Their position is that the current policies and systems that the hospital has are working fine.
2. They also rejected our proposal on Inclement Weather. Their position is that departments have the right to decide whether our members are essential or not at any time with no notice. They refused to consider an exemption from salary deletion for staff who present proof of inability to come in. They claim that staff can ensure that they’re able to come into work on time by staying at “Hotel UH,” also known as: “multiple cots crammed into a crowded, unsanitary room.”
3. We made a proposal to make all sick days usable for care of family members, preventative care, and child care issues and prohibit discipline for using sick days.
4. We proposed to expand our members’ rights to union representation and to prevent the Hospital from placing members on involuntary administrative leave without pay. We also proposed to shorten the probationary period back to three months.
5. We rejected all their proposed take-backs from the last session, including having the ability to raise parking rates automatically if Rutgers does, cutting the amount of drug and alcohol leave, and no longer counting leave time for overtime.

HPAE 5094 Negotiations Committee

Tom Murphy, Christine Boardingham, Jacques Lherison, Jacob Luftman, Ivette Suarez-Vega, and Judy Vincenty.