December 15, 2023
Our Team Kicks Off Contract Negotiations
Our Providence Registered Nurses (PRN) bargaining team hit the tables this week, backed by the strength of AaNA nurses and our shared commitment to our patients and each other.
THANK YOU — AaNA nurses are the best!
We want to first say THANK YOU to everyone who signed our banner and expressed support for our bargaining team heading into negotiations this week! Your support means everything to our team, and it will make the difference in winning a strong contract. What we are fighting for is very important, and we can only be successful with the help of everyone.
Our Initial Proposals
On Wednesday, December 13, and Thursday, December 14, our bargaining team met with PAMC management to begin negotiating our next contract for 2024-2027.
Our team presented our opening proposals on behalf of AaNA nurses. These run the gamut from simple housekeeping items to major proposals that would strengthen our contract – such as codifying unit-specific safe staffing ratios at PAMC and significant, market-appropriate pay increase for hardworking AaNA nurses.
Our non-economic proposals include:
- Recognizing the potential burden of precepting students and new nurses
- Clarifying language regarding registry nurse availability requirements
- Revising Care Set H, so that MHU nurses can’t be floated to Psych ED without orientation to the unit
- Timely notification to union leaders regarding nurses with voluntary reductions in FTE
- Timeframe limitations for disciplinary actions to remain in employee files
- Formalizing the break nurse role for each unit, including floor nurses to break nurse ratios.
- Unit-specific minimum nurse-patient ratios, including language that allows for flexibility based on patient acuity in certain units
Our economic proposals include:
- PTO cash-outs for maxed out nurses, and a new PTO tier for nurses with 20+ years of service
- Adjustments to specific differentials, including night, weekend, and callback pay that puts AaNA nurses in line with other PAMC staff.
- 9.5% across-the-board increases to base pay, each year for three years, totaling a 28.5% pay raise over the life of the contract.
Management Responds
Management’s bargaining team presented counterproposals to our non-economic proposals, and we are expecting responses to economics the next time we convene.
Unsurprisingly, PAMC management balked at our safe staffing ratios proposal, saying that putting ratios in our contract would just create “a grievance factory.”
Seeing management view our staffing proposal through the lens of how many grievances it could generate – rather than how many lives it could save, and how many nurses it could help retain – was very disappointing to our team. Management also rejected the break nurse role language our union team proposed.
Next Steps
We will head back to the bargaining table on Thursday, January 18th, and Friday, January 19th.
In the meantime, here are three ways you can help support our team:
- Become a member (or ask a coworker to)
- Come to our next bargaining unit meeting – Keep an eye on your email for invites.
- Join our Contract Action Team! Email zach@aknurse.org to get involved.
Look for updates in your inbox after each session! We will also utilized social media, our website, texting, regular meetings and trainings, and our union bulletin boards so AaNA members can quickly receive critical updates. Make sure your contact info is up-to-date with our office so you don’t miss anything.
In solidarity,
Your PRN-AaNA Bargaining Team