In an earlier post on the Edge’s Forum, I talked about the current labor negotiations between the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA), representing the nurses at Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH), and the hospital management. The union negotiating team is currently busy preparing a counter-proposal to the hospital’s “final offer”, which is the result of the union membership overwhelmingly voting down the tentative agreement reached between the union and hospital management last month.
Here’s a statement from the ONA concerning the situation:
July 25, 2013
Contact: Scott Palmer
503 293 0011 ext 308
palmer@oregonrn.org
OregonRN.orgOREGON NURSES ASSOCIATION STATEMENT ON NEGOTIATIONS AT COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA), which represents nurses at Columbia Memorial Hospital, is committed to securing the very best possible contract for our members. Our goal, as in all contract negotiations, is to achieve a fair and equitable contract that provides nurses with a competitive wage, excellent working conditions and ensures the highest quality care for our patients.
There is no question that contract negotiations with Columbia Memorial Hospital have been difficult and contentious. Our nurses overwhelmingly rejected the hospital’s first offer on July 13th and are now faced with the hospital’s “Final Offer” which contains significant take-aways. We have agreed to participate in a final negotiation session with the hospital and with a federal mediator on August 28 to attempt to reach resolution and a final agreement.
ONA staff and elected leaders at Columbia Memorial Hospital are currently preparing counter-proposals that we hope will enable us to reach a mutually agreeable contract with the hospital.
However, in the event that we are unable to reach such an agreement, it is important for local residents to know that ONA and the hospital will be at “impasse,” at which time the hospital can either unilaterally implement its last offer but may also decide to lock the nurses out of the hospital. In addition, if an impasse is reached, the nurses can vote to either ratify or reject the final offer. In the case of rejection, the nurses can also vote to authorize a strike.
It is our intention, and our hope, that we will be able to work with the hospital to avoid an impasse and continue to provide this community with the high quality health care that they deserve. We will continue to work to achieve that goal in partnership with the nurses we represent.
# # #
The Oregon Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in Oregon. With more than 12,500 members, it is the state’s largest professional association and union for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining. More information online at OregonRN.org.
More information about CMH ONA bargaining unit can be found here. Please note that the lead ONA negotiator is now Gary Nauta.
Here’s CMH’s statement regarding the status of the current ONA negotiations:
CMH values our nurses and we remain hopeful that the federal mediator will assist us in coming to an agreement at our session on August 28th.
If you have any additional questions about the ONA negotiations please let me know. For future items/issues, please send media inquires directly to Paul Mitchell, CMH’s Marketing Manager, he always has the most up to date information.
Thanks,
Erik Thorsen, CEO
Columbia Memorial Hospital
A federally mediated bargaining session has been set for Wednesday, August 28 at 9 am. If no agreement is reached, there could be a strike or a lockout.
The ONA and hospital statements will be read on Coast Community Radio’s Community Air program this Sunday, July 28, between 7-8 pm, on KMUN 91.9 and KTCB 89.5, along with some background on the situation and other general news about health care in the community.
Thank you Bob for continuing to post updates. This is why we created this website, to provide a platform for sharing community intelligence. Hopefully other area media will report on this important local news.
Here’s one of the buttons that nurses are wearing at CMH in the runup to the August 28th mediation:
There were meetings held last Friday between the nurses’ union negotiating team and the rank and file. I’ll try to get a report on what transpired.
Also last Friday, the Daily Astorian published an article about the hospital’s successful Plaintree certification. Not one word about the labor problems, or any comments from nurses. Very surprising, since many of the nurses participated in the certification process, and of course they are very important in a patient’s experience, which is what the Plaintree system is all about. Very disappointing.
A little more than a week away from the mediation meeting on August 28th. Expect some press before then. Definitely after.