Rochester General Hospital (RGH) and the Rochester Union of Nurses & Allied Professionals (RUNAP) met yesterday for our second bargaining session. The session began at 10 AM and ended around 5 PM, with both sides discussing several issues and exchanging proposals.
Yesterday, the parties agreed to finalize the ground rules for bargaining sessions in the future. During the first session, the parties agreed on ground rules covering time off for RUNAP’s bargaining committee to attend negotiations, processes for tentative agreements reached during the negotiations, scheduling and who can attend the sessions. At yesterday’s session, RGH proposed changes to the ground rules dictating circumstances under which the parties might need to meet virtually in the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic or another public health event/emergency, and RUNAP agreed.
In addition, RGH and RUNAP reached an agreement on one “Pre-contract Proposal” from the union, including:
- Problem Solving/Dispute Resolution – The parties agreed to a specific process for resolving issues or disputes that may arise before a collective bargaining agreement is ratified.
The parties also spent a significant portion of the session discussing several safety-related “Pre-contract Proposals” and a safety petition presented by RUNAP. The parties also discussed specific staffing issues and the issues related to the admission of certain patients transferred to RGH from other RRH facilities.
Finally, RGH presented an overview of the financial challenges facing both the healthcare industry nationally and RGH specifically. The presentation also discussed steps the Hospital is taking to ensure its financial well-being now and in the future.
During the Session, the Parties Discussed the Following Proposals from RGH:
- Probationary Period
- Non-Discrimination
The Parties also Discussed Several New Proposals from the Union, including:
- Union Security
- Successorship
- Separability
- Parking
- Committees
- Agency/Travel Personnel
- Staffing Incentive Program
- Staffing Grids
- Wage Scale
- Per Diem Compensation
- No Strike-No Lockout
- Pay Differentials
- Utilization Review
What’s Next
RGH and RUNAP are scheduled to meet again for bargaining on Wednesday, November 30. We will issue another update following that session to keep you informed. Please visit www.RGHNursesMatter.org for more information. 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.