Page One Archive

September 2008 —

UC urges continued negotiations for new nurses contract; CNA pushes for impasse in advance of final offers

The University met with CNA for 15 bargaining sessions recently that concluded on September 12, but was not able to reach an agreement for nurses.  UC offered to continue bargaining beyond the September 15th deadline in an attempt to reach an agreement, but CNA refused.  Despite the fact that neither UC nor CNA have exchanged their final offers, CNA has stated it believes the negotiations are at an impasse.  Because final offers have not yet been offered, UC believes that more progress can be made at the bargaining table and does not agree that an impasse exists.  However, UC has not formally objected to CNA’s position.

During bargaining, UC put forward several proposals which would:

·         Improve the language in staffing, specifically to strengthen “float” language in a number of ways including an explicit reference to age-specific competencies.

·         Offer two years of wage increases in order to ensure competitive compensation for nurses, including step advancement for eligible nurses in July of 2009 and 2010 – see local salary offers for location-specific details.

·         Ensure that it will not ask nurses to bear a disproportionate share in the cost in health care increases; and

·         Guarantee that the University will contribute at least the same amount as nurses to the UCRP and that employee contributions will begin in the form of a redirection of mandatory employee contributions currently going into the UC Defined Contribution Plan.

Fact-finding, the next step in the bargaining process following impasse, will begin with a hearing.