CONGRATULATIONS! WE DID IT!

On Thursday, February 16 we voted for a stronger voice and a better future.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 95.5% voted YES!
LAS PALMAS: 100% voted YES!
DEL SOL: 90% voted YES!
RIO GRANDE: 98.5% voted YES!

16-months ago we voted to form our Union and voted to unite in SEIU Healthcare Texas! 16-months later we overwhelmingly voted to approve our first contract to officially add our voice to more than 20,000 other HCA-affiliated employees in Florida, Nevada, Kansas City and California! Congratulations to our Bargaining Teams and to our Contract Action Teams on their hard work!

This has been a long, hard fight and we won many improvements to our working conditions and have gained a voice in our jobs. This contract will last until May 2014. A detailed highlights summary of the contract is below. You can also review the full contract articles on our Files: Tentative Agreement page.

SEIU TEXAS HEALTHCARE ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTS

JOB PROTECTIONS

• Subcontracting: If the Hospital wants to subcontract, we must be given 60 days notice. We have the right to offer alternatives and bargain over any effects. Subcontractor will be required to hire all or substantially all of the employees at their current hourly rate.
• Layoff/Recall: Hospital must make reasonable efforts to avoid layoffs. If layoffs are necessary, we must get notice of when they are going to occur and Hospital must do it fairly by honoring seniority and allow employees time to get additional training. If layoffs occur, new, richer severance package will be offered.
• Bargaining Unit Work: We cannot be displaced by supervisors performing our work.
• Successorship: The Hospital must provide at least 60 days notice if they are going to sell or merge the hospital. The employees and the union contract stay with the hospital in the event of a sale or merger.
• Disciplinary Action: Verbal warnings are not considered discipline. Hospital may only discipline with just cause. If there is not just cause, we can use our grievance procedure to get the discipline overturned. Most disciplinary actions must be removed from an employee’s personnel file after 12 months.
• Drug and Alcohol: Our privacy is protected and management must have just-cause to test employees.

IMPROVEMENTS AND PROTECTIONS OF OUR ECONOMICS

• Duration: Contract will expire May 31, 2014 at the same time as our sister unions’ contracts with over 30 of HCA hospitals in California, Nevada, Florida, and Kansas City.
• Wages: 2.0% raise in year 1 for full-time and part-time employees and 2.5% raise in year 2 for full-time and part-time employees who are not at the top of the pay range. Any employee at the top of the pay range will receive a bonus each year equivalent to 2.0% raise in year 1 and a 2.5% raise in year 2 using Full Time Equivalent (FTE) earnings.
• Health Insurance: No Changes to health plans without negotiations. No cost shifting to employees. No decrease in value. $500 wellness credit option and reduced premium costs for most coverage levels starting in 2013. Process to join with 21 other hospitals (Florida and Kansas City) to seek additional benefit improvements.
• Overtime: No mandatory overtime.
• Call-Off / Flexing: Call-offs must be rotated to ensure fairness. If called off, we don’t have to maintain contact with the hospital unless we are paid on-call pay. Agency and temporary employees sent home first. If we arrive at the hospital without a phone call and told we are canceled, we will be paid 2 hours of pay. Call-off by job classification only.
• Prevailing Benefits: We locked in important practices like shift differentials, PTO, EIB, retirement, etc.

INCREASED FAIRNESS AND RESPECT

• Grievance and Arbitration: We can enforce our contract by filing a complaint called a grievance. If the Hospital does not resolve the dispute, we can take to neutral 3^rd party arbitrator who makes the final decision. The Hospital no longer has the final say.
• Personnel Files: The Hospital will maintain only 1 personnel file. Employees have the right to inspect and get copies of the personnel file and we have the right to add documents to our file.
• Performance Evaluations: Performance evaluations will no longer impact our wages. Evaluations must be conducted by our immediate supervisor. We have to be notified if we are going to get less than a satisfactory rating and the Hosptial must tell us what we need to improve.
• Meals and Rest Periods: We will receive a 30 minute unpaid duty free meal period pending patient care needs. If interrupted, we will be allowed to restart our meal period. We will receive two, 15 minute paid rest breaks per 8 hour shifts.
• Non-Discrimination: Protections against discrimination based on union activity or other statuses protected by law with the right to enforce by filing a grievance or by suing.
• Scheduling & Days Off:  Except where established practice is otherwise, Hospital will post schedule of 4 weeks at least 13 days in advance. Regular staff employees will be scheduled before PRN’s, agency and travelers. Employees will not ordinarily be required to work more than every other weekend off except where there is an established practice otherwise.
• Filling of Vacancies: Internal candidates that apply within 5 days after a position is posted will have preference over external candidates. Among internal candidates, those with seniority will have priority.
• Union Leave: Up to 2 employees at any one time may take a leave of absence for union business, up to 270 days per year. We also have the right to have additional employees take short term union leaves.
• Representation and Orientation: We can attend general orientation for new employees to educate them about the union and the contract. Hospital must recognize our stewards. We have our own bulletin boards, access to break rooms, and access to conference rooms for our union informational meetings and activities.
• Status of Employment: PRN or part-time employees who work part time or full time hours can be automatically reclassified as part time or full time if they work at least 40 hours (part time) or 64 hours (full time) per pay period for 13 of the last 15 pay periods, even if there is not a posted position.

A REAL VOICE IN OUR WORK AND IMPROVING PATIENT CARE

• Labor Management Committee: Equal number of management and employee representatives will meet every other month to discuss issues of mutual concern, such as improving patient care and improving employee satisfaction.
• Staffing Issues Committee: Right to file assignment despite objection forms if supervisor does not correct inappropriate staffing assignments. Equal number of management and employee representatives will meet every other month on paid time to hear employee staffing complaints and may address staffing practices and patterns, with right to enforce the contract provision in arbitration
• Safety and Health Committee: Hospital must maintain safe and healthy working conditions. A Safety and Health Committee, with equal number of management and employee representatives is created to improve health and safety at the Hospital, including discussing safety initiatives, injury trends and changes to policies and procedures related to safety.
• Floating: Employees will not be required to perform duties for which they are not qualified. Agency, traveler and temporary employees will be floated first. Floating for regular staff employees will be done fairly in a rotational order. Employees may question their floating assignments and if the concern is not resolved, the department manager/clinical manager is called in. If still not resolved, employee may file a complaint that the Hospital must respond to in writing within 14 days.