United we bargain, divided we beg~ The hospital knows exactly how strong we are by the number of members we have. They track it by unit monthly.
Brief History~ We have been a Union since 1976. What working conditions prompted those nurses to organize only two years after they were legally allowed to do so by the Health Care Amendment to the National Relations Act? ASK THEM! They'll tell you - favoritism, inequality, low wages, lack of respect, and safety issues, to name a few. We strengthen our contract with every bargaining session. Some significant victories have included; shift, weekend, designated vacancy, and emergency pay differentials; call pay, time and a half for holidays, DOUBLE time for christmas, a grievance procedure, CEU's, wages, overtime after, and a labor/management committee.
Strengthened by our diversity~ The National CWA has hundreds of thousands of workers from many different types of employment. From Flight Attendants to Telephone Workers to Physicians -
we are strengthened by our diversity. We have one Healthcare Local in New York with many thousands of members. As Nurses in the Public, Healthcare, and Education Sector; we are truly well represented by our National.
Our Representative~ Our Representative is Bonnie Winther. She has an office in Des Moines. Bonnie also represents the Des Moines County Court House Workers, our Deputy Sheriffs, and the West Burlington and Burlington Police Departments. Her jobs include training, grievance arbitration, organizing, and helping us to negotiate a contract every three years.
Union Dues~ Our Union dues are payroll deductible, and they are two hours of base wage per month if scheduled 80 hours per pay period,
or one hour of wage per month if scheduled anything less than that.
60% of this is returned to our local treasury for use as we vote on at the monthly meetings. We routinely donate to area charities, assist internally to members who may be experiencing hardship, offer union education workshops to any member wishing to attend, and have a 2nd year Nursing Scholarship.
The other 40% goes to the National for representation, education, and a defense fund that pays out up to $300.00 a week in the event of a strike.
Union Representation~ YOU should request and expect Union Representation every time you go into any possible type of disciplinary meeting. IF you didn't know it would involve discipline and it turns into this; YOU have every right to stop the meeting until you have Union Representation. If you feel you have been given unjust discipline, you must file a grievance within 7 days of knowing of the discipline. CONTACT your steward or the President to get the process going.
Our Union Leadership meets at least quarterly with Management to share problems that can be dealt with outside of Contract Negotiations. THIS is a very good time to place your ideas or concerns on our agenda.
WE must be pro-active. Please share comments for the Newsletter, general concerns, and ways to improve our Union's effectiveness.
BE INVOLVED!!!!
"Solidarity is not a matter of sentiment but a fact, cold and impassive as the granite foundations of a skyscraper.
It is the basic elements, identity of interest, clarity of visions, honesty of intent and oneness of purpose, if any of these is lacking, all sentimental pleas for solidarity, and all other efforts to achieve it will be barren of results." Eugene V. Debs
