Hospital workers vote on walkout
Monday, October 4, 2004 7:44 AM PDT
By Venice Buhain
Printable version
E-mail this articleHundreds of service workers at St. John Medical Center -- including the certified nursing assistants, medical assistants and housekeepers -- voted late last night whether to stage a one-day walkout in protest of their latest contract negotiations and planned an informational picket today in front of PeaceHealth's local facilities in Longview and Cathlamet.
The night shift workers of the 420-member union were casting votes late last night at the IWA Hall. The results of the Service Employees International Union Local 49 vote were not available Sunday evening.
There has never been a strike at St. John, where about 1,600 people work. It dodged one three years ago, when a five-day walkout by the SEIU was avoided at the last minute. Twenty-two hours of negotiations resulted a settlement the same day the strike was to begin.
These contract talks have stalled over wages, insurance benefits and a scheduling issue that allows shifts less than 10 hours apart.
The final issue is one, the union argues, of safety, particularly with certified nursing assistants, medical assistants and lab workers.
"Those are the people who have direct patient care," said Donna Iverson, a CNA and unit secretary.
Hospital spokesman Randy Querin said no additional negotiation sessions are scheduled between the management and the union -- but he stressed that negotiations are ongoing.
In a prepared statement, Cal Lantz, the hospital's vice president of professional services, said, "We want to reassure everyone who relies on St. John for medical care that this ongoing negotiation with SEIU will not disrupt our ability to provide top-quality health care to this community."
The union is proposing a 5.25 percent wage increase the first year, 5 percent the second year and 5 percent the third year.
Management at St. John Medical Center is offering a 3 percent wage incrase the first year, followed by 2.5 percent and 2.75 percent.
St. John's latest offer "will serve us well in both the retention and recruitment of highly qualified employees," Lantz said.
The union wants to create a clause that would pay the worker overtime for at least half the hours worked with less than 10 hours' rest. Its purpose is to encourage supervisors to create a schedule with at least 10 hours between shifts, said Nancy Nass, an SEIU field organizer.
If the union votes to strike, it must give the hospital 10 days notice.
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