Local 5185 December Union Update
November Union Update
The Labor-Management Committee (LMC) is a monthly meeting where your Union officers bring your concerns to management.
Some Updates from the October LMC Meeting:
1) Kronos – The number of Time Clocks will be reduced to 9 in January. Management will be sending out a memo to let you know where your primary/backup time clocks are.
2) Per-Diems – BMC is posting more FT/PT positions. This may affect the number of hours available to Per-Diems. While Management does have the right to post more positions, they do not have the right to ‘phase out’ per-diems’. You have the right to keep your PD status, or bid on these new positions. If you are ever in a meeting with a supervisor, you may ask for a union rep.
3) Public Service Loan Forgiveness – BMC employees now qualify for Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Use our Union’s free student debt tool to help calculate what you can save.
4) Holidays – Holidays will now be front loaded 30 days before the holiday.
5) Tuition Reimbursements – Tuition Reimbursements will now go through Payroll, not Accounts Payable.
6) Negotiations – Our contract expires June 2024. To win a great new contract, we’ll need to show we are strong and united every day from now until then. If you are interested in getting involved, at any level, contact your union rep.
7) Insurance – There will be no changes to your insurance at this time. Management presented us with a proposal that would have lowered in-network costs but raised out-of-network costs by thousands of dollars without addressing high premiums. After discussing with members, it was clear that this is a trade-off that wouldn’t have worked for all. We will have another opportunity to negotiate better insurance during the upcoming contract negotiations. Management will be imposing their insurance proposal on all non-union staff.
Thanks to your support, our Union has beat back Management’s attempt to reduce our staffing ratios. We won a written agreement, which was ratified by a 92% member vote:
- LPNs can not substitute for RNs.
- LPNs now have the same layoff rights as all other employees (before, LPNs could be laid off first).
- Bonus Contracts for Professionals, Techs, Service Workers, & Clerks who commit to working extra shifts over a 6-week period (this is separate from the 10$ bonus. It’s based on unit need, so ask your supervisor.)
- BMC will hire roughly 20 additional CNAs/PCPs.
- Referral Bonuses: Now, if you refer someone to work at BMC, you will get $125 every 6 months they work here, up to $500 (before, they’d have to work here for 2 years for you to get a bonus).
HPAE-AFT Information
HPAE-AFT is the largest union of health care professionals in New Jersey. HPAE members include nurses, social workers, therapists, technicians, medical researchers and other healthcare professionals. We work in hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, blood banks and university research facilities.
Union Negotiations: If you haven’t filled out the bargaining survey, fill it out here before December 15. If you’ve already filled out a paper petition, only the paper petition will be counted.
Fighting for Safe Staffing:
HPAE Local 5147 at Hudson Regional Hospital are negotiating their contract. They’re fighting for a contract that ensures all hospital units will be safely staffed with Nurses, Nurse Aides and ancillary staff. Click here to sign the petition in solidarity!
Our Union is pushing the State Legislature to pass the NJ Safe Staffing Bill. Share you short staffing story here so we can tell Legislators why we need this bill passed now!
The striking Nurses at RWJ have won a Tentative Agreement – the Union and Management at RWJ have reached a Tentative Agreement that includes pay raises and enforceable safe staffing ratios. This is a big win for all healthcare workers across NJ. This will help put us in a stronger position going into bargaining next year. Thank you to everyone who came down to support them on the picket line over the last few months!
Workers at the Harborage Nursing Home in North Bergen are voting to join HPAE.
Stay in Touch: If you or someone you know isn’t getting union texts and/or emails, reply to this message and you will be added to the list.
Union Made in the USA Holiday Gift Guide
Your Local Union Leadership:
President: Christine Crimaldi – 2R
Vice President (Service): Danielle Hallenbeck – 2R
Vice President (Techs & B.O.C.): Marisol Mateo – OR
Vice President (RNs & Professionals): Joan Zitzman – ICU
Secretary: Mary Ramos – PACU
Treasurer: Sue Sienkiewicz – Respiratory
Grievance Chair: Nanette Rivera – Physical Therapy
Your union benefits:
Your HPAE Benefits | Your AFT Benefits
Free Associates Degree (Enrollment now Open)
HPAE Drexel University Discounted Tuition
Questions / Concerns may be sent to BSILVA@HPAE.ORG