UNAP Members, RI Hospital Reach New 5-Year Deal
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Members of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) Local 5098 voted Wednesday to approve a new five-year contract with Rhode Island Hospital.
"I'm proud of all UNAP members who stood up and raised their voice to win a fair and competitive contract at Rhode Island Hospital. This has been a long, and at times, difficult process, but I believe we made significant gains for frontline caregivers and our patients by remaining committed to the common principles and commitment to care that bind us," said Frank Sims, RN, UNAP Local 5098 president.
The deal follows more than a month of contract negotiations and a strike by UNAP.
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According to UNAP’s press release, the “ deal makes significant gains for union members,” and includes the following details:
- Addressing unsafe staffing and resource concerns by establishing a new staffing, equipment, and supplies committee that will meet regularly for the duration of the contract. The committee shall be comprised of UNAP members and management and be led by an independent facilitator. The joint committee will make recommendations to the hospital administration for its consideration and implementation.
- Providing a competitive wage plan and addressing economic inequities for both newer and veteran members. All members will realize across-the-board salary increases over the life of the contract.
- Preserving the continuity and affordability of UNAP member's existing health insurance plan.
- Maintaining the current UNAP member pension plan and also allowing voluntarily opt-in to the hospital-administered 401k, including a six percent employer match.
- Establishing new humanitarian and military leave guidelines: Members volunteering to participate in two-week humanitarian missions will now receive one week salary. This is a change from the previous policy, which required members to use vacation time for all such activity. Additionally, active military members will be allowed to keep their families on the UNAP health insurance plan. This also represents a change from prior policy, which required members to move their families' coverage to TriCare.
Related Slideshow: RI Dept. of Health, RI Hospital Consent Agreement - June 2018
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