NEW YORK NURSE: March 2008
by Mark Genovese
Wage increases for the 360 RNs at this Brooklyn facility will now be applied to both base and experience under a new 39-month contract approved Jan. 24. A compounded 11.4% increase over the life of the contract will provide a greater increase in actual dollars for experienced RNs. RNs also won a 10-day increase in their sick-leave bank, establishment of a sick-leave buyback program, and an increase in their early retirement health insurance stipend. The new contract includes improved staffing guidelines, restrictions on floating, and no givebacks.
A new three-year contract for the 150 RNs at the Saranac Lake hospital was overwhelmingly approved on Jan. 28. The contract provides a 3% across-the-board salary increase each year and will add two new steps to the experience scale. RNs with 20 years’ continuous experience who retire at age 62 or older will receive up to $5,000 to purchase health insurance. RNs who work part-time or a mix of full- and part-time will be eligible to receive up to $2,500 per year.
A first contract was approved on Jan. 24 by RNs employed by the Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Center (SVCMC) U.S. Family Health Plan at Mitchel Field, Fort Wadsworth, and Bay Ridge. This bargaining unit was formed as a result of the recent SVCMC network bankruptcy and was split off from the former St. Vincent’s Hospital/Bayley Seton bargaining unit. The new contract contains many of the provisions of the former St. Vincent’s/Bayley Seton agreement, but was “personalized” for the new bargaining unit. It will increase RN salaries by 9% by August 2010. The contract also increases the annual cash supplement for retirees to purchase health insurance to $3,000, increases tuition reimbursement to $5,000 per year, and reduces the number of required Saturdays from 26 to 18 per year.