Labor & Employment Law

New Jersey Health Professionals Ratify Contract?and More Bargaining News

By Belinda Boyce

Health professionals at Meadowlands (N.J.) Hospital ratify a contract?and more news from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily, bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 1,300 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

SETTLEMENTS
HPAE-AFT, MHA: Members of Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE-AFT) Local 5147 in New Jersey ratified a five-year contract with MHA, the potential new owner of Meadowlands Hospital. The new contract extends the deal in place with current hospital owner Liberty Health Systems.

MNA-NNU, Quincy Medical Center: Nurses at Quincy (Mass.) Medical Center ratified a new contract they hope will result in improved staffing rules and patient care. The 250 members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association-National Nurses United (MNA-NNU) agreed to a pay cut and freeze in benefits, in return for a guarantee that those cuts will end on set dates. The contract expires Jan. 31, 2011.

UFCW, Kroger Co.: Thousands of grocery workers in Toledo and Northwest Ohio ratified a new three-year contract with Kroger Co. last Monday. The 3,000 workers are members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 75.

NEGOTIATIONS
AFSCME, State of New York: Late last week, New York Gov. David Paterson (D) ordered 2,000 jobs to be cut by Dec. 31. The Civil Service Employees Association, an affiliate of AFSCME, earlier in the week filed a charge with the Public Employment Relations Board claiming the state administration is violating a contract that guarantees no layoffs before the end of the year.

AFM, Detroit Symphony Orchestra: American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) are preparing to strike Oct. 4, after mediated talks with DSO management failed to produce an agreement. The DSO plans to implement its final offer, which includes cutting pay by one-third, on Oct. 3.

CNA-NNU, Ventura County: In California, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to impose a contract on nurses and technicians at the Ventura County Medical Center. The 500 members of the California Nurses Association-NNU (CNA-NNU) rejected the contract, which freezes wages and increases pension contributions.

AFSCME, City of Philadelphia: Philadelphia city workers rallied against Mayor Michael Nutter (D) last week, after working without a new contract for more than a year. Members of AFSCME district councils 33 and 47 are demanding the mayor negotiate fair contracts now.

ATU, Twin Cities Metro Transit: In Minnesota’s Twin Cities, transportation workers rejected a second contract offer from Metro Transit. Members of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1005 will vote whether to authorize a strike or return to the table.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only.  As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on September 27, 2010 (boomark / email).