Shasta Regional Medical Center RN’s Overwhelmingly Reject Managements Offer

Friday, June 27, 2008

Over 70% of the Registered Nurses at Shasta Regional Medical Center overwhelmingly rejected management’s last, best and final offer. During the three day’s of voting over 89% of the nurses voted to reject managements offer. This offer was not endorsed by the bargaining team and the bargaining team recommended a “No” vote on the proposal. During the mediation session the bargaining team reminded managements bargaining team, through the Mediator , that two years ago when SRMC pleaded that they were in a poor financial situation the RN’s received a 10.5% raise over two years. The bargaining team recommended a 13.5% salary increase, for all employees, over a two year period or a counter offer from management of one or two years. Management responded with their last, best, and final offer that consisted of a 13.5% salary increase over four years. They also stipulated that any RN, who is currently being paid outside of the current wage scale, would be frozen and in lieu of a raise each of these ninety plus (approx 35% ) nurses would receive a $1,000 stipend each year until they returned to the wage schedule.

Management also agreed to picking up 80% of any insurance increase, however, their offer was only good for the first two of the four years. This would leave the nurses bargaining over any increase in years three and four with management not having any obligation to pay any of the increases in these two years.

Because of the salary and insurance issues we told the Mediator that we would not be endorsing this proposal, however, we would take it to the members for a vote.

The Union has forwarded the results to management with a request that they return to the bargaining table. We are awaiting their reply.