Parties in Nursing Strike Return to Negotiation Table
Thursday, April 15th, 2010
Opposing parties in Temple's nursing strike will return to the negotiation table tomorrow afternoon. The meeting between Temple University Hospital management and union representatives from the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, PASNAP was arranged by the state mediator. Sandy Gomberg, CEO of Temple University Hospital says getting called to the meeting by the state mediator makes her hopeful that union representatives have shifted their position:
Gomberg: We hope that this is an indication that PASNAP may be considering the last, best and final offer which we already implemented, or the proposal that was proffered by the mediator as a settlement, which Temple indicated it would have accepted, but PASNAP rejected
Union representatives didn't say whether they have changed their position. Bill Cruice is director of PASNAP:
Cruice: We're prepared to do what we have to do to find a principled agreement and that includes being flexible in our position
Temple nurses and other unionized professionals went on strike on March 31st. Major sticking points are wages and health benefits premiums. The hospital is currently staffed by outside nurses.
Here is the latest update from the TempleWatch.org
Statement on Negotiations | Friday, April 16
Today, the bargaining committees of TUHNA and TAP spent four and a half hours working on a comprehensive proposal to settle the contract, and offered compromises on wages, benefits, tuition and many other items in an effort to achieve a contract and end the strike. Congressman Bob Brady attended negotiations, and encouraged us to keep working and stay at the table.
Bob Birnbrauer, chief negotiator for Temple University Hospital, insulted Congressman Brady by telling him that the Hospital’s offer was unchanged, and by refusing to even consider the proposals by the Union in a face to face session that lasted less than fifteen minutes .
Temple’s reckless refusal to negotiate to end the strike, while the continue to spend millions on “replacement workers” is inexcusable. As the number of patients reporting bad outcomes after treatment in the Hospital increases, and millions of tax payer dollars are squandered on Temple’s union busting, it is time that Temple’s Board of Trustees take direct control of negotiations and replace those in charge. The stubbornness of Temple’s negotiating team may damage the hospital’s reputation for years if a fair agreement is not reached soon with the nurses and professional employees.
Please call as many of these elected representatives as possible to ask that they step up efforts to get the Board of Trustees of Temple to come to the table and negotiate in good faith for a compromise which will put Temple’s dedicated nurses ad professionals back on the job caring for their patients .
Sen. Mike Stack 215-281-2539, Member, Temple Board of Trustees, Upper NE Philadelphia, Bridesburg, Port Richmond
Sen. Shirley Kitchen 215-227-6161 North Central Philadelphia, Olney, Roxborough, TUH is in her district
Sen. Leanna Washington 215-517-1434, E. Mt. Airy, Cheltenham Twp, W. Oak Lane
Sen. Tina Tartaglione 215-533-0440, Frankford, NE Philadelphia
Sen. Dominic Pileggi 610-358-5183, Media, Senate Majority leader, appoints 2 members of Temple’s Board of Trustees
Rep. Dwight Evans 215-549-0220, Chair of House Appropriations Committee
Temple strike is unnecessary. Temple employees are getting a better pay for their postitions, comparing with other Philadelphia hospitals.
Temple wants workers to accept an offer that's just not acceptable. Workers should not compromise patient safety because Temple doesn't want them speaking out. It's about time that we as a community unite and stop going to Temple until they start to respect their workers.