2008 Negotiations Navigator

2008 Negotiations Navigator

March 20, 2008
Historic Improvements in Contract Language

For the past two and a half months, our 55 member-strong bargaining team has been working diligently with teams of managers and supervisors to make improvements to our contract.

They divided into nine teams and each team focused on improving a few specific areas of our contracts. They took all 44 of the serious issues, raised by union members this past fall in the surveys and proposal meetings across Allina, into their committees.

We are happy to share with you that we made more significant strides that could improve contract language than we have in decades.

Here is a sampling of the consensus items we have reached so far:
1) Joint interest in uninterrupted breaks and meal periods
2) Development of Department/Practice Councils to discuss staffing issues
3) Expanded options for creating flexible schedules
4) Increased Tuition Assistance that is pre-paid instead of reimbursed
5) Creation of a Career Development Center with member involvement
6) Improved Low-Needs Language with limits on low-need days
7) Vacation bidding two times a year
8) Recognized Holidays
9) Clear process for bidding on Holidays
10) A new commitment to a safe workplace and our safety
11) Expanded Bereavement Leave
12) Job vacancy bidding process with clear seniority guidelines
13) Job vacancy posting requirements
14) Reduction Language—an even better employment security process than last contract
15) Seniority preference for straight shift or no weekends after 20 years—improved language
16) Preceptors, Trainers and Leads defined in the contract
17) More clear language regarding casual employees
18) Expanded time for new member orientation

Our Central Table is now in the process of reviewing all of the above consensus recommendations, but has not yet approved a final package of contract language improvements. However, we are very pleased with the results so far.

Stay Tuned Over the Next Few Weeks for How You Can Be Involved as We Start Talking With Allina About Wages, Health Insurance, and Pension

March 11, 2008
Retirement with Dignity

We all work hard for a living. We accept that responsibility.

But we want to know that after we have given years of service to patients and the community that we will have the ability to live comfortably in retirement.

Too many working people are being forced to work longer and when we do get to retire we are living on tiny budgets that force us to choose between prescriptions and rent.

That’s why, as your SEIU union negotiating team, we are working hard to reach a contract that improves our retirement security.

We want to make Allina the best place to work, the best place to get care, and a workplace known for treating its retirees with dignity.

"I'm proud of the care that I have given to patients over the years. Now, I’m working with our negotiating team to make sure we are treated in retirement with the same dignity we give to our patients"

--Pam Scott, Mercy

March 4, 2008
The Reason We're Here: Patient Care
All of us have been a patient, or know someone who has. When we’re in the care of others, we want the best for ourselves and our family.

Every day, we provide this service to our communities. That’s why as a part of the current negotiations, we are discussing ways to make sure we have tools we need to provide the best possible care.

The Service Excellence Committee is focusing on this goal.

Here are just a few of the issues being discussed by this committee in negotiations:
-Patient Safety
-Education to increase SEIU
members’ knowledge of service goals, patient satisfaction scores, waste reduction, the Strategic Alliance, and hospital reimbursement
-Greater SEIU member involvement in the Service Excellence work throughout Allina
-Collaboration between SEIU members and management on the identification and implementation of best practices

"This committee gives us the opportunity to have influence in how patient care is delivered. We also are making sure we have the ongoing training and open communication with management we need to provide the best possible care."

--Larry Schindler, Unity

February 26, 2008
“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
--African Proverb

As healthcare workers, we know the world of healthcare is constantly changing.
We have two options: we can get bowled over by those changes or we can look out on the horizon and plan for or shape the future of healthcare.

In the current round of contract negotiations, the Performance Advantage Tomorrow Committee is focused on building a solid future for SEIU Healthcare Minnesota members.

Here are just a few of the issues being discussed by this committee:
-Employee Safety
-Insourcing work for SEIU members
-Creating a fair process for reviewing/revising position descriptions
-Envisioning the jobs of the future
-Clarity and consistency in SEIU members job descriptions

"As members of SEIU, we have a voice in what the future looks like at our hospitals. I’m excited to be playing a role in developing that future."

--Lynn Carlson, PEI

SEIU Healthcare Performance Advantage Tomorrow Committee
Christa Christianson, Owatonna
Kelvin Clark, Sr., Abbott
Jackie Masson, Mercy
Michelle Miller, Unity
Judy Rivera, United
Mia Vortice-Tate, Abbott

February 19, 2008

The Performance Advantage Today Committee:
Making Sure Our Hospitals are the Best Place to Get Care in the Twin Cities

One of the best ways we can achieve our long-term goals of fully employer paid health insurance and a secure retirement is to ensure that Allina remains a market leader in the Twin Cities.

One committee in the current round of negotiations is committed to making that happen.

Here are just a few of the issues being discussed by the Performance Advantage Today Committee:
-Staffing and scheduling issues that affect our members in all classifications
-Adequate and Safe staffing that ensure quality patient care and patient safety
-Hours of work and scheduling policies
-Job training for SEIU members
-Clarity and consistency in SEIU members job descriptions

SEIU Healthcare Performance Advantage Today Committee
Semere Berhe, Mercy
Rita Matthews, Mercy
Roland Miles, Abbott
Bobbie Sellers, Abbott
Maria Wolf, St. Francis
Mary Wood, United
Tara Wangen, United
Laura Yamnik, St. Francis

February 12, 2008
The Peace of Mind of Employment Security:
Committee Focused on Building Even More Security for SEIU Members at Allina
Given the ups and downs of the market and the constant technological changes in healthcare, SEIU members can rest assured that our Strategic Alliance and contract with Allina will provide a job with comparable pay, shift, and hours if there is a reduction or redeployment.

Now, the Employment Security Committee is working to build on this solid foundation during the current round of contract negotiations.

Here are just a few of the issues being discussed by this committee:

-Seniority that transfers with you
-Refining the reduction and redeployment process
-Exploring options for avoiding reductions and keeping our jobs secure

SEIU Employment Security Members
Adamasu Ayele
Abbott
Jeff Sarro
Abbott
James Gessner
United
Doug MacRae
Abbott
Vivian Straumann
United
Evelyn Zopp
Mercy

February 5, 2008

Education, Training and Opportunities a Key Focus of Contract Negotiations
9 committees of members are meeting with Allina to negotiate issues of importance. This is the second on a series of flyers to keep you up to date on these committees and what they are discussing.

Workforce Planning, Development, and Education Committee
Here are some of the issues being disccussed by the committee:
-Improving accessibility to training and education for SEIU members
-Forecasting job changes and needs within Allina so members can make educated career choices
-Tuition reimbursement
-Paid time to go to school
-Developing opportunities and a smoother process for members to transfer job classes
-More training and educational opportunities for SEIU members

January 29, 2008
Joint Announcement
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Allina are engaged in contract negotiations covering more than 3,500 SEIU Healthcare Minnesota members at seven hospitals (Abbott Northwestern, Mercy, Owatonna, PEI, St. Francis, United, & Unity).

Because our Strategic Alliance relationship is unique, SEIU and Allina have adopted a results-focused bargaining process. Results-focused bargaining is a style of negotiations that engages small teams around specific issues with the goal of finding common ground and making consensus decisions. We believe that using this bargaining process has the potential to transform our organizations and advance the mission of the Strategic Alliance.

Because this is the first time SEIU and Allina have used this process to negotiate an agreement, and given the number of bargaining units involved and the breadth of SEIU member and Allina interests under discussion, the Federal Mediator has recommended a contract extension.

The central SEIU-member negotiating committee and Allina management mutually agree with this recommendation and will extend the bargaining agreements until Friday, May 2, 2008. Across the board wage increases will be retroactive to March 1, 2008.
The union will communicate updates to members every Tuesday by flyer and online at www.seiuhealthcaremn.org/hospitals/allina/2008_Negotiations_Navigator.aspx
Allina Labor Relations will provide updates to the management team during the course of bargaining.

January 22, 2008
Our current round of negotiations with Allina are focused on more member interests than ever before.
9 committees of members are meeting with Allina to negotiate issues of importance. We will be running a series of flyers to keep you up to date on these committees and what they are discussing.
This is the first in the series.

Work Life Balance Committee
(also known as Time Away from Work)
Here are just a few of the issues being discussed by this committee:
-PTO accrual, usage, and scheduling
-Holidays
-Bereavement Leave
-Illness, Disability, and other leaves of absence
-Weekend Scheduling
-Giveaway shifts
-Leave to attend school events for your kids
-Break time
-Double Back shifts

Paul Doty
St. Francis

Our committee's goal is to ensure everyone is treated in a respectful manner and every member is cared for. These benefits will enrich our personal lives, enabling us to provide great patient care.
SEIU Healthcare Minnesota Work Life Balance Committee Members

Tina Bakken, Unity
Deb Dodds, Owatonna
Melanie Kellar, Abbott
Dianne Richter, Abbott
Bob Saylor, Abbott
Kathy Schmidtke, Mercy
Barry Washington Jr., Abbott
Tyler Winans, United

January 15, 2008

Negotiations 2008
Building on Our Success:
Highlights from Last Contract

More Affordable Health Insurance
As the price of healthcare continues to rise, last contract we made gains in health insurance costs for SEIU Healthcare members. The price of healthcare is going up for everyone, but the fact remains that SEIU members consistently pay less than non-union employees. How did we save?
• We were able to reduce premium costs for singles and families, saving up to $1964.66 per year for families. This year the difference between contract and non-contract workers is $356.40 for single and $567 for families on the Allina Care plan.
• In 2008, deductibles in the Care Plan are $225 lower than non-contract for family and $50 lower than non-contract for single!
• Our co-pays stay the same and are $5 lower than non-contract in 2008!

Wage Increases
Over the length of this contract, our members have received up to a 12% wage increase when you include step increases!

Employment Security
With the Employment Security language we gained last time, we have members who were able to keep a job during reductions in the last two years. In the past month, we were able to redeploy 30 members from United to avoid layoffs. Allina found our members a job with comparable hours, wages, and shift.

More Fair Grievance Procedure
SEIU members have a greater voice in our work and the improved grievance procedure provides employees and management a fair step-by-step process to resolve disputes.

Strategic Alliance
As the healthcare industry is changing and the demand for performance increases—we need to be even more involved in what happens at our hospital. Therefore, we entered into the Strategic Alliance—a more open relationship with management, that allows us a stronger voice than ever before on decisions that affect our patients, our work, and our families.

I’m proud of the contract we negotiated last time! This year I am excited to be at the table and build on this foundation. This year we are going to work harder and longer than ever to make improvements for our members and a build a solid contract!
--Elva Neubauer, United Hospital

January 8, 2008
What's Been Happening @ Negotiations?
As we move forward with the historic contract negotiations, our bargaining committee has been busy preparing and training for negotiations.

As this is the first time that all hospitals are negotiating together, the entire union bargaining committee met for a final review of our goals across the hospitals before negotiations start full force on January 7th.

There will be negotiations taking place every day in January.

Top 3 Bargaining Interests According to Our Summer/Fall 2007 Survey
1. Improved Wages and One Wage Scale Across Allina
* 89 percent support same pay for same work
2. Better Health Insurance Benefits
* Members want focus on premiums and out of pocket costs
3. Better Retirement Benefits
* 97 percent support everyone being in the SEIU Twin City Hospital Workers' Pension Plan

Two Ways to Stay Updated on Negotiations:
1. Tuesday Updates on www.seiuhealthcaremn.org
2. Weekly Flyers available by Tuesday each week during negotiations