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Standing up for our patients, our colleagues, and our comminuty
Grievance Corner
Up-to-date information on the latest grievances filed.
Grievances:
1. PTO Cap 2. Inappropriate Step Pay 3. Missed Breaks 4. E-Learning Modules 5. Tuition Reimbursement 6. Right of Return 7. Posted Position 8. Lack of CNAs 9. OT Lawsuit 10. HIPAA 11. Parking
PTO Cap
Apr 2022 Update:
Awaiting arbitration.
Mar 2022 Update:
This active grievance is waiting a Step 3 meeting. After submitting the grievance and having a Step 2 meeting DHR asked for an extension. We declined. DHR was notified of this issue in June of 2021. Why they have chosen not to explore it is a mystery to us! So we advanced to Step 3 and if that meeting does not happen soon the grievance will be moved to Step 4 and await arbitration.
In the meantime, your managers need to work with you to ensure you aren’t losing PTO due to the city’s inability to staff appropriately. If they are not - you know the email address! Make sure to let us know what is going on!
Jan 2022 Update:
In a not so astonishing move by DHR we received a ‘proposal’ to respond to employees who have maxed out on their PTO and are unable to get any approved vacation time.
Hold onto your seats, here we go.
IF you work your full hours AND you agree to work 24 hours of overtime AND you agree to forego an already approved vacation AND you work the 2 days before said previously approved vacation AND you work the 2 days after said previously approved vacation (and of course you work the previously approved vacation days) THEN you will be permitted to cash out the PTO hours you have ALREADY EARNED and were planning to take on the vacation days that you are no longer taking because you have decided to work overtime instead of taking the vacation that you worked so hard to earn.
Sound good??
Wait – does it even sound sane? Read it again… Can you even figure out if it’s possible for you to meet all those ifs and ands? Do you feel like you need to take a correspondence course to even figure this out? Too bad you can’t get the tuition reimbursement approved for that…
Once we figured out what in the world was actually being proposed we were not impressed either.
So we said thanks no thanks, we’ll go ahead and follow through with the grievance. First meeting was on February 1, 2022. We have to wait for a response from the city which is due February 22, 2022.
Lack of CNAs
May 2023 Update:
Positions for additional CNAs were posted for the ICU; hiring pending.
Apr 2023 Update:
Contract language guarantees 2 CNAs for each ICU, however according to ICU management those positions do not exist in the budget. We have filed a grievance and have our first meeting on 4/22.
Grievance filed for lack of support staff (CNAs) in ICU.
Ratio
Apr 2022 Update:
Subject to expedited arbitration. Awaiting arbitration date.
Title 22 violations in the Emergency Department for Pod A and Resus. This grievance is headed towards expedited arbitration as of February 2022.
Inappropriate Step Pay
Apr 2022 Update:
Awaiting arbitration.
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Mar 2022 Update:
Step 3 meeting was held on March 9, 2022. Low and behold the city asked us to hold off on this grievance due to negotiations. Seriously? This issue was brought to DHR’s attention in June of 2020! And to our knowledge they have not even chosen to investigate it.
NO MORE DELAYS! We informed the city we expected action in the form of contacting each RN who has been hired since 2020 to determine if their experience was properly taken into account for their step placement. We meet again in two weeks. We’ll see what they have to say at that time.
IN THE MEANTIME - CHECK YOUR STEP!
Jan 2022 Update:
RNs hired during the ‘expedited hiring process’ were blocked from having their experience considered prior to hiring. Many of them are being paid at the inappropriate step. DHR was notified about this issue and has opted to give these members the run around for over a year. We filed a grievance to resolve this and had our first meeting on February 1, 2022. We are waiting for a response from the city. Next due date is February 22, 2022.
Tuition Reimbursement
Apr 2022 Update:
Again, we won this grievance. Quite a long time ago.. Not that the city has implemented any remedy…. A proposal was put on the table that all tuition reimbursement funds will carry over until the city has implemented a process that guarantees staff access to these funds.
New language proposed at bargaining table to extend tuition reimbursement deadlines and access.
Mar 2022 Update:
The city wants to “fix this process” during negotiations.
Right of Return
Apr 2022 Update:
Grievance filed to uphold employee's right of first return to an open position in department.
Missed Breaks
Apr 2022 Update:
Awaiting arbitration.
Mar 2022 Update:
We advanced this grievance to Step 3
Jan 2022 Update:
L&D has documented over 1300 missed meal breaks in the last year! This does not show us that the institution is making a good faith effort to provide the breaks guaranteed in our MOU.
A grievance was filed to this effect and the first meeting with the city and administration was February 3, 2022. Follow up meeting to be scheduled.
OT Lawsuit
Dec 2023 Update:
Hearing is set for March 12, 2024 at 9th Circuit Court.
Filed in 2019, this lawsuit went to trial in 2022.
HIPAA
November 2023 Update:
Two nurses were separated as a part of a "zero tolerance" policy on alledged HIPAA violations. This wrongful termination was grieved and went to arbitration. One RN was reinstated as if never separated and made whole. The other RN's arbitration is still pending.
E-Learning Modules
Apr 2022 Update:
Awaiting arbitration. New language proposed at bargaining table for employees to be paid release time equivalent to e-learning module hours.
Mar 2022 Update:
We are awaiting a Step 3 meeting on this grievance. It will likely be moved on to Step 4 soon.
Jan 2022 Update:
Administration has been vague at best and inconsistent at worst in allowing staff the time needed to complete ‘mandatory’ e-modules. Some units pay their staff for each hour spent to complete the modules, others refuse and inform staff to complete them while engaged in patient care.
This is inconsistent with language in the MOU and Title 22 that indicate no RN can be engaged in mandatory learning while included in the nursing ratios and responsible for patient care duties. Discussions with administration were not fruitful and grievance was filed to resolve this issue. First meeting was held on February 1st. We are now waiting for a response from the city, which is due February 22nd.
Posted Position
Apr 2022 Update:
Grievance filed for employee not being contacted about interest nor interviewed for posted position per MOU.
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