SRMC and RN’s at Impasse

Friday, May 23, 2008

REDDING - Following just a few negotiations sessions, management at Shasta Regional Medical Center and the UPEC Registered Nurse Bargaining Unit declared impasse last week however, if you watched the local news SRMC management claimed the union walked away from the table and an un-named union spokesperson stated “the union was going to picket the hospital and go to the media”. Business Manager Chris Darker denied the hospitals accusations in a TV news interview initiated by a press release from SRMC Management. “We had no reason to go to the media, we were still in negotiations and had sent a letter to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)”, said Darker.  Chief negotiator Mike Lyon stated the hospital was unwilling or unprepared to continue negotiations and SRMC’s Chief Negotiator gave Lyon the “go-ahead” to contact the FMCS.
SRMC RN’s are currently over 12% behind other area hospitals and want parity and future increases. The hospital stated they are not interested in paying a competative salary now or in the future. SRMC Administration is concerned that the Nurses may strike and stated they have a contingency plan in place. SRMC Nurses went on a five-day strike a decade ago when Tenet Healthsystems owned the hospital and refused to restore benefits they unilaterally cut prior to voting in the union.  Business Manager Chris Darker stated that a strike is not in the works at this time and said “Only the Registered Nurses at SRMC who are union members can decide and vote on a strike”. Local 792 has only had two strikes in the past thirteen years. The hospital is now owned by Health Partners of America (HPA). SRMC is the only hospital it operates in California and has other facilities in Texas.