Rochester General Hospital (RGH) and the Rochester Union of Nurses & Allied Professionals (RUNAP) met yesterday for our 13th bargaining session since negotiations began in October of last year. The session began shortly before 10 AM and ended after 5 PM. This was the first bargaining session with two Federal Mediators present and the mediators spent time with both the RUNAP and RGH bargaining teams to discuss the open issues.
Today, the parties reached two tentative agreements. The agreements included: Personnel Files and Evaluations; and Health and Safety, Equipment and Supplies.
Unfortunately, despite making progress on some of these key issues and the involvement of the mediators, RUNAP is unnecessarily escalating conflict between the two parties and further requiring RGH to incur contingency expenses by talking about setting strike authorization vote dates and tentative strike dates. We hope they will reconsider as we continue to make progress towards an agreement.
During the Session, the Parties Discussed the Following Counterproposals from RGH and RUNAP:
- Health and Safety, Equipment and Supplies: RGH’s revised counterproposal addresses many issues raised in the union’s last proposal on this issue, and RUNAP replied with a new counterproposal. This led to a tentative agreement.
- Tuition, In-Service, Conferences: RGH provided an updated counterproposal on these issues, and RUNAP responded with a new counterproposal as well.
- Uniforms and Dress Code: RGH presented a revised counterproposal specifying, among other things, that nurse scrubs must be a white or navy colored top and white or navy colored pants or skirt. RUNAP indicated that it maintains its most recent proposal on this item.
- Personnel Files and Evaluations: RGH’s counterproposal specifies the process for employees or a representative of the union to review the employee’s personnel file. RUNAP agreed to this proposal and the parties signed a tentative agreement.
- Temporary Reassignment: RUNAP offered a new counterproposal that outlines a process for floating/reassignment and related issues.
What’s Next
RGH and RUNAP are scheduled to meet again for bargaining on Wednesday July 19 with a Federal Mediator present. We will issue another update following each session to keep you informed. You can sign up to receive email or text alerts when a new bargaining update is posted to the website and also submit any questions. Please visit www.RGHNursesMatter.org for more information.