Local 5004 Post Membership Meeting Update, March 30, 2023

ASTONISHING!!!

We have received an email dated March 23rd, from Howard Pripas, Director, Employee and Labor Relations. Mr. Pripas chooses to disparage the HPAE nurses. He actually states in his email that “…each pay period that passes is another pay period our nurses will not enjoy the higher wages that we are under no obligation to provide at this time.”

That sentiment is also echoed in Kathy Kaminsky’s Feb 14th letter. “Englewood Hospital is not obligated to offer an enhanced wage proposal midterm.” Her rhetoric continued with the statement that:

“EH has given to their eligible nurses gift cards, float holiday, and Englewood Hospital jackets. All of which were not required.”

These statements clearly epitomize EH administration’s lack of understanding concerning the need to build and retain a quality workforce in order to navigate the current healthcare crisis. HPAE has repeatedly offered to partner with EH Administration to collectively explore recruitment and retention strategies; this suggestion has been met with the usual EH response (no response).

Alice Barden, HPAE local 5004 President, responded to Mr. Pripas that we are willing to engage in further negotiations to reach an equitable wage increase for ALL HPAE nurses.

We await a response. We will keep you informed.