California Nurses Approve Historic First Contract

May 06, 2009

Registered nurses at Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center in Riverside – members of United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP/AFSCME) – have overwhelmingly ratified their first contract and won a strong voice in the workplace.

The historic two-year agreement creates a Registered Nurse Advisory Committee, which will press for improvements in patient care.

“We are glad to have the opportunity to partner with hospital management and make Parkview a premiere provider of quality patient care for the Riverside community,” says Penny Brown, an RN in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.

The contract also restores a 5 percent pay cut imposed on the 260 nurses last October by Parkview’s chief executive officer, Doug Drumwright.

UNAC/UHCP/AFSCME filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), accusing management of failing to bargain the pay cut issue first. Last December, the NLRB found merit in the union’s position and ordered a trial, which began April 13. Management then agreed to restore the former wage rates and the contract was finalized, ending the legal dispute.

“Parkview RNs are happy that hospital management finally understands the value of respecting the voice of nurses in the workplace,” says Kathy Sackman, president of UNAC/UHCP/AFSCME.

The Parkview nurses voted in February 2008 for a voice on the job with UNAC/UHCP/AFSCME, which represents some 16,000 registered nurses and other health care professionals throughout southern California. During 13 contentious months of contract negotiations that followed, the nurses received support from the community and elected officials, including Lt. Gov. John Garamendi (D) and state Attorney Gen. Jerry Brown (D).

Read more about Parkview nurses in this earlier WORKS Xtra story.