Nurses are causing security problems, staff at the Wisconsin hospital
Hundreds of nurses stood a strike outside the Unitypoint health hospital in the midst of current contractual negotiations.
A four-day strike at Unitypoint Health-Meriter Hospital in Madison where Hundreds of nurses asked for safer working conditions ends with a tent agreement between the hospital and the Wisconsin Seiu, which represents 934 Meriter nurses, according to an announcement of May 31 of the Labor Union.
Although the provisional agreement does not describe major security measures for staff in all areas, it consists of protections for certain staff members, an increase of 8% in the next two years for all and a new executive for the staff to expresses concerns, the member of the merchanting team Amber Anderson declared during the press conference of May 31 outside the hospital.
In particular, the negotiation team has won specific commitments to staff and patients working in psychiatry for children’s adolescents and emergencies, as well as commitment to a sheet of advice for violent incidents, Anderson said.
The negotiation team was unable to earn usable management commitments which would more tangibly prevent violence at work in all areas, she said, in particular on endowment ratios. However, Anderson said he obtained a language that will be easier for nurses to collectively express the concerns of endowment and security and work with management to find solutions.
The members of the union will vote to ratify the agreement during the evening on May 31, then return to work at the hospital before 7 a.m. on June 1, that is to say at the end of the strike.
The strike – The first for nurses Meriter – started on May 27 based on the frustrations of the lack of hospital management of Response to several requests for a safer work environment.
The contractual negotiations began in January. Since then, the nurses have been asking for their contract to guarantee greater safety measures at the hospital, in particular by adding a metal detector and smaller staff / patient ratios in the hospital medical units. They also asked for increased remuneration for work nights and other less desirable workplace.
Pat Raes, a nurse deserves and president of Seiu Wisconsin, previously said the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that there had been cases where patients and visitors had brought firearms to the establishment without the staff. Violence against health workers has increasedSaid Raes, and the nurses asked for an action before a serious incident occurred, not after.
Anderson said on May 31: “This victory is not only for the negotiation team. It is up to all of us. To each of you who arose, spoke and held strong, we thank you.”
Behind her stood on a dozen other employees and supporters of the hospital adorned with the color signature of the union: Violet.
In his speech, Anderson thanked the staff of Seiu, the UW nurses, the workers of the Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin And members of the community and other local unions who have donated time and resources.
In A Facebook publication In agreement, the hospital published the following declaration: “We respect the union process and we are delighted with the outcome of their decision. We think it is a strong and fair contract which demonstrates the value and respect that we have for the nurses of our team.”
“We are grateful for the dedication and hard work of all those involved in negotiations. This dealing agreement represents significant progress towards a contract which recognizes the important contributions of our nurses,” said Sherry Casali in chief nursing care.
The city center of Madison is part of Unitypoint Health, an Iowa-based health system with locations in southern Wisconsin. In 2017, the hospital concluded in a joint operating agreement With Uw Health, allowing patients to obtain care from the two suppliers.
Uw Health is not foreign to labor negotiations either. The nursing union of the health system was dissolved in 2014 following act 10, and the nurses began to restore it in 2019including threatening a three -day strike in 2022 It did not eventually happen.
The Supreme Wisconsin Court is currently deciding whether UW’s health is required to negotiate a collective negotiation contract with the union. The courtyard heard oral arguments in the case in February.
Madeline Heim contributed to this report.
Contact Claudia Levens in Clevens@gannett.com. Follow it on x to @ Levelnsc13.