Baystate Franklin Nurses Go Out on 24-Hour Strike

WGGB ^

[matt04]

Nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center have hit the picket line.

The strike is scheduled to run 24 hours, from 7:00 a.m. Friday to 7:00 a.m. Saturday.

Friday’s job action, which the union says is the first in the hospital’s history, comes after months of negotiations over a new contract.

The Mass. Nurses Association says that they have been bargained 28 times over the last year where “Baystate Management has committed a number of unfair labor practices and has refused to make the necessary compromises to settle an equitable contract.”

However, Baystate Franklin says that they have come with proposals, but the union has made no counter-offers.

“We need constructive discussions at the table, and the MNA is not interested in engaging with us to get the job done and settle this contract. We have made offers, they are not making counter offers, and we cannot bargain against ourselves,” says Baystate’s President of Regional Markets Chuck Gijanto.

The hospital says that the “sticking point” is over the payment of overtime on a weekly, rather than daily, basis. Baystate wants to maintain their proposal of time-and-a-half only after a nurse has worked 40 hours a week, instead of a per-shift basis, as is outlined in their current contract.

...

They ensure patients and visitors that business will continue as normal, but those heading to the facility are being advised of a few parking and operational changes.

Surgery and Endoscopy services will be limited to emergencies only

ICU will be closed. Baystate says that anyone needing that level of care will go to other hospitals.

[matt04]

ICU will be closed. Baystate says that anyone needing that level of care will go to other hospitals.

So when seconds count to save lives, these pathetic nurses will be walking around in a circle outside. Fire them all now and don't let them work as a RN again.

[FlingWingFlyer]

These striking “nurses” care about their patients about as much as striking “teachers” care about their students. Let’s face it. The union bosses come first. Gotta keep ‘em happy.

[Gay State Conservative]

Having had 20 years of experience at a Massachusetts hospital whose nurses were represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) I developed a deep contempt for that union’s leadership during my time there.Just plain Maoists are what they were....the patients could die in their own filth for all they cared.The $$$ was all that was important.Like the leaders of most American unions,they were absolute filth.

[Vermont Lt]

These nurses average about $40/ hour. The upper range is $75.

And they want more CNAs around to clean up “accidents”...because they are too educated to do that.

Fire them and break the union.

[sarasmom]

I agree.
I have brought my own personal “caregivers” to the hospital for the past 25 years.
Anytime I hear of someone I know, unfortunate enough to be hospitalized for any reason, I ask who is staying with them 24/7, and does their support team need extra help to sit with them?
The few times in the past 25 years I personally endured hospital nursing care, I received far more “care” via the hospital cleaning staff than I ever received from the staff nurse's.

I don't know what is going on in this particular hospital, but I doubt it's much different from others I have “visited”.

Fire them all, and promote the janitorial staff into their positions.