We reached a tentative agreement (TA) on Tuesday 9-20-2023 that increases wages by 20% over three years, includes a minimum number of per diems for units & increases urgent pay to 100% (double time).
We will be sending a ratification ballot (through Election Runner) to your work email address later today and voting will end at 9am on Tuesday September 26.
If you’d prefer that your ratification ballot be sent to your home email, send the request to PFNHP@AFTVermont.org
The PFNHP bargaining team is recommending a YES vote!
Below is a summary of the Tentative Agreement. The actual TA Can be found here.
Article 301 - Wages: 20% over 3 years:
January 2024 8%+2% step (or 2% bonus for those at the top of the wage scale)
January 2025 3.5%+2% step (or 2% bonus for those at the top of the wage scale)
January 2026 2.5%+2% step (or 2% bonus for those at the top of the wage scale)
Article 303 - Differentials
* Urgent pay is now a 100% differential (up from 50% differential)
* Practice Lead RN increased to $5/hour (from $3/hour)
Article 306 - Holidays: If a clinic or practice will be open on the Friday after Thanksgiving, 12 months notice will be given. If a clinic or practice is closed on a holiday, an employee can take up to 4 days unpaid instead of using CTO.
Article 307 - Leaves of Absence. EIR will now be available after only one day of CTO for all employees (for qualifying uses).
Article 403 - Per Diems:
* Each cost center with at least 5 bargaining unit FTEs shall have a minimum of one per diem for every 5 FTEs (Helen Porter and PMG will each count as one cost center).
* Committed hours nurses can go per diem if there is a vacant per diem position.
* Clear standards for per diems, including 300 hours per year worked for hospital and Helen Porter and 200 hours per year in PMG. Per diems not subject to corrective action for lack of available shifts.
Article 410 - Health and Safety
* PMC will provide de-escalation and workplace safety training to all new and existing employees.
* PMC will provide assistance navigating Workers Comp
* Employees may use EIR immediately for any workplace injury
* For bargaining unit employees who are assaulted at work, management will determine how to specifically address the employee’s needs & critical incident debriefing will be initiated.
* PFNHP can have up to 2 representatives on the Environment of Care Committee and the Emergency Response Committee.
Article 101- Recognition
- Adds Infusion Center RNs and Virtual RNs to list of RNs that are part of the bargaining unit.
- Adds Porter Podiatry and Porter General Surgery to the recognized locations (while deleting practices that no longer exist (such as Primary Care- Bristol).
- Updates out-of-date or incorrect addresses.
Article 105- Grievance Procedure
- The grievant or PFNHP rep will inform supervisors when a Step 1 meeting is happening.
- Step 2 goes to the Clinical Director of Nursing for the Hospital; Director of Nursing for Helen Porter; PMG Clinical Operations Director, and Step 3 goes to the CNO.
Article 106- Staffing Committees- Nursing Practice Council
- The agenda for the committee meetings will be finalized at least 5 days before the meeting (and can then be changed upon agreement of both parties).
- Both parties will strive for participation of a majority of their members, and that the meeting shall be rescheduled if there isn’t a majority on both sides, unless both parties agree to meet without a majority.
- A canceled meeting shall be rescheduled within 3 business days, and shall take place within 30 calendar days.
Article 107- Labor Management Committee
- Additional items to the committee’s agenda after the current 7 day deadline shall only be added by mutual agreement.
- Both parties will strive for participation of a majority of their members, and that the meeting shall be rescheduled if there isn’t a majority on both sides, unless both parties agree to meet without a majority.
- A canceled meeting shall be rescheduled within 3 business days, and shall take place within 30 calendar days.
Article 108: New Technologies
- PMC agrees that if new technology is going to substantially change RN practices, it will seek input from PFNHP before implementing the new technology in a manner that improves quality of care without compromising the integrity of nursing care.
Article 110: Duration: Begins 10/1/2023 and expires 9/30/2026
Article 113- Bulletin Boards
- PMC will allow the Union to use and maintain one wall folder in RN break areas in each department and practice to be used to provide union forms to bargaining unit employees.
Article 114- New Information
- Employer will provide new member info monthly instead of quarterly.
- Adds personal email and union status to the info the employer will provide.
Article 201-Work Schedules
- Increases time off between shifts from 8 to 10 hours
- When self scheduling is used, managers may not change the schedule once finalized
- A minimum of 12 weeks notice if a new evening shift is implemented
- For the Hospital and Helen Porter, the schedule shall cover at least 6 weeks
Article 202- Weekends
- Weekends scheduled at PMG shall be based on rotation by reverse unit seniority.
- At practices where weekend work is not currently scheduled, notice to employees and to PFNHP shall be given no less than twelve weeks before the planned start date of the new weekend shift.
- Good faith effort shall be made by management to include all impacted employees in the planning process when such a weekend shift is added.
Article 205-On Call
- If agreed, employees who leave early or arrive late because of on-call will not be charged CTO for hours missed.
- For Surgical Services, call shall begin 15 minutes before the end of the employee’s scheduled shift, but no earlier than 4:45p.
Article 209- Staff Meetings
- Employees who do not attend staff meetings are responsible for reviewing meeting minutes, and will confirm that they have done so in writing.
Article 310 - CAP
Biannual payments move from net payments to gross payments and increase to
$1550 (was $1250)
$1250 (was $1000)
$ 950 (was $750)
Article 401 - Non-Discrimination: Adds "marital status" to protected groups.
Article 402-Seniority: Updated chart of which seniority applies in each article
Article 404- Vacancies
- When there’s a vacancy, in addition to posting internally for 5 days, PMC will send an email notification of the vacant position to members of the unit or office with the vacancy.
- After a scheduling or FTE change has been made, that change will be made within a maximum of four months (instead of the current six).
Article 406- Request to Reduce FTE
- Employees granted a decrease in FTE status will not be held in their position longer than four months.
Article 407-Orientation
- MAs will be signed off by a PMC employee who is not a bargaining unit nurse
- PMC And PFNHP will work on optimizing the BSN program
Election Procedure Agreement: Creates a fair environment for other employees. (e.g. Techs, LPNs and support staff) who want to organize a union.