Just compensation

I'm told that when my grandfather served in the Rhode Island Senate he was payed $17 a year.  I know being a senator is something one does because they want to better the world but not compensating them is just society taking advantage of the situation. Everyone's time is valuable and they should be compensated for it.  It also begs the question, what quality of people do you get without just compensation.

We live in a time where the top people in corporations make hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars, while some of those doing the actual hands on work that provides the service or profit do not always make a living wage.
It's also a time when the phrase "shared sacrifice" is a buzzword.

As of last fall the average CEO in America made 325 times the average worker.

I just think that when times are tough and sacrifice is needed, those calling for the sacrifice should lead by example.

We need just levels of compensation to attract qualified people, CEOs, nurses, factory workers, farm works.......everyone.  We also need fiscal responsibility. They are not mutually exclusive.

Like a smoothly running machine

Monday was a crazy day in the Emergency Department, as most Mondays are.  The rooms were full, patients were on stretchers in the hall, I was behind on assessments, medicating, and reassessments of my already too many patients.

Then, lightening struck.

No, it really did.

We received 4 simultaneous Code Reds! They were taking refuge in a building during a thunder storm, thinking they were safe, when lightening hit the building.  In all, I believe 15 people were affected, and the 4 most serious came to us. 

Suddenly, the department was crawling with people from the OR, nursing education, nursing management, and elsewhere, all down to help, or at least try.
It was hard to navigate through the hallways, what with the patients on stretchers and the employees tending them.

Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for the help.  We couldn't have gotten through it alone. It was a true disaster and it was handled well.

I didn't get personally involved with any of the trauma victims.  I had my hands full already.  Actually, for me, except for the increase in chaos, my work became a little easier because now I had people asking what they could do to help.

Ah, life in the ER!

It's crazy many days, and sometimes like today, we need help.
I think it works if we remember 2 things.
First, that the ER is "a part of" the hospital, not "apart from" the hospital and
second, if everyone does their job as calmly as possible. That's when we get the best outcome.

It's like the old time clocks.  You need the right size, type, and number of gears, each in it's correct place and doing it's own task, for everything to run smooth.

Understanding our Contract Articles 4-8

We are done reviewing the contract and are in the process of getting all the Bargaining Committee members to sign it.  That should be done in the next day or two.  Then we will start printing and passing out copies.
Let's continue our walk through our contract.

Article 4, Management Rights

Basically, this says that management has the right to run the hospital as they see fit, unless those rights are modified elsewhere in the contract. 
Before the contract, management had the right to do this on everything.

Article 5, No Strike, No Lockout

We agree not to strike and they agree not to lock us out, for the duration of the contract. (3 years)
A strike is never to be taken lightly.  That's why in our contract and bylaws we have a rule that 75% of union members must vote to authorize it. 
That means, that 75% of your fellow Backus nurses who have signed union cards would have to feel strong enough to vote to authorize.
It is always our decision, no one from the AFT Connecticut or AFT national has a say.

Article 6, Union Security

All employees who are covered by this contract must become Union Members or pay agency fees.
All full and part time Backus RNs are protected by the contract.  It is only right that we share the costs of administering it. 
We will take part in new employee orientations and distribute a Union orientation packet at that time.

Article 7, Dues Checkoff

The hospital will payroll deduct and send to the our Local the union dues or agency fees for anyone who has filled out a Union Membership/authorization for payroll deduction card or an Authorization for Check-Off of Agency Fees/authorization for payroll deduction card.
Dues and fees stay in the account of our Local, right here in Norwich, controlled by the Local's Finance Committee and administered by our Local Treasurer.  All Local checks need to be signed by by the Local Treasurer and President and all expenses are reviewed by the Finance Committee.

Article 8, No Discrimination

Neither the hospital nor the union will practice discrimination.
Sexual harassment will not be permitted.

Understanding our contract, Articles 1,2,3

I thought I might work my way through our contract and do my best to explain the articles.  Please remember, I am not a labor lawyer, and some things are open to different interpretations.

Articles 1,2,3.
Intent, Recognition, Definitions.

Basically, these three articles state that this is a contract between the hospital and the Employees, who are the union, covering working conditions.  This includes hourly RNs who work full or part time for W W Backus hospital. including at the main hospital, the BOCC, and the new Plainfield ED.  It does not include those working at the Backus out patient centers in Colchester or Montville or for Backus Home Care, because they do not work for the hospital, they are under a different wing of Backus Corporation.

It defines part time as a budgeted position of at least 4 hours a week.

It defines per diem as not being covered by the contract and working on an "as needed" basis, not required to work any set hours, position, or schedule to maintain employment.
I know this is somewhat confusing.  Basically, the union wanted to keep all RNs in the bargaining unit and the hospital wanted to exclude as many as possible.  It's the strongest language we could get.

The hospital has tried to clarify this with their new policy that per diems must be available for 96 hours every 6 months including one holiday.  96 hours is less than the 4 hours that defines part time and it does not state that per diems must "work" 96 hours, only be available.  It also does not state that per diems must work any particular day of the week, such as weekends or any particular holiday.

If something changes in the policy or in how it is carried out in practice, we will evaluate and if appropriate, we will claim these nurses as part time and thus covered by the contract.

Dad

I've written about my Dad before.  Today, I guess because it's Father's Day, I found myself thinking about him again, and feeling like I should blog about him.

I was sitting in church this morning when I first thought about him.  Church has gotten a bad name in recent years.  There's been scandals over mistreatment of youth and stealing of money.  There's also abuse in the name of God.  One only needs to look  at how we justified things like slavery.

But the true message, of all major religions and philosophies, is as true now as it ever was, and it can never be soiled by controversy, because the message is pure.

That message was given to me by my Dad.

I remember he had very little on the top of his bureau in his bedroom, but he did have one wooden plaque.  It read, "Never judge a man until you walk a mile in his moccasins". 
I often wondered if his friend Duke, a Native American from the Midwest, had given it to him.  Duke was one of the guys who pulled my Dad to safety on a South Pacific beach in WWII.

Anyway, my Dad never preached about how to live, but he led by example.
His philosophy was simple.  Treat others with respect and as equals.  If you have the ability, help your fellow man out.
So at a time when tolerance of others was not popular, my Dad was a friend to people of all religions, races, colors and economic status.  He didn't have to say this was the right way to live, he lived it.

He dragged my bother and myself along one day to help empty a chicken coup of dead hens.  The farmer was a customer of his, but he was also a friend.  They had lost power and the birds had all suffocated.  Dad didn't have to do it. But, then again, he did. Because it was the right thing to do.
He admired with wonder his brother Matt's skill at fixing cars, realizing that although Dad had the college education, Matt was as intelligent, if not more.
Our Jewish neighbors had one difference from us, they went to temple, we went to church, nothing more.
When Cesar Chavez led the grape boycott in California for a better life for his people, grapes disappeared from our table in Connecticut.
There are so many other examples.

John the Baptist said that the man who has two coats should share with the man who has none and Jesus said that he who is without sin should cast the first stone. 
I heard these things in church.
I SAW them at home.
Thanks Dad.