I will be leaving in a few minutes for the airport. I am heading to Washington DC with Michelle Hayes, Jen Gaston, and Carol Adams, fellow nurses from Backus. We will spend several of our own vacation days to meet with, enlist, and strengthen our support with our congressional legislators and our brothers and sisters from the other Connecticut AFT health care locals and locals across this country.
We already have public support from the Governor, our state representatives and senators, the labor community, the non profit community and the people of Norwich.
Management has refused to offer any counter proposals in our last 2 meetings and has refused federal mediation 4 times. In my opinion this constitutes a failure to bargain in good faith as required by law and I believe it is an attempt to deny us our rights to collectively bargain.
We have exercised our rights under United States law in an effort to gain a voice in the workplace and stop the bleeding of talented nurses leaving our hospital because retaining talented nurses is a patient safety issue.
The current hospital proposal would mean a net loss of take home pay (pay-insurance premium increases) of up to $200/week and would force nurses to find other employment.
Last year the hospital had the highest percent operating margin (profit) in Connecticut and the CEO received a 26% increase in his base wages.
So we are headed to Washington, to plead for the employees of Backus and our patient's safety. We can not and will not give up our rights and we will never turn our backs on patient safety.
We will be busy the next few days. I will do my best to keep you updated. Know that we carry you with us on our journey.
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