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AFSCME Montana Nurses Negotiate "Self-Scheduling' Language

AFSCME Council 9 has reached an agreement with Ruby Valley Hospital that allows the facility's nurses to determine their own schedules. According to the contract, signed in late October 2004, all nurses will submit, in writing, their desired shifts for the next month, along with requests for personal time off and holidays. If conflicts arise in the granting of personal time off that cannot be resolved using guidelines agreed to in the contract, the employer will make final determinations, with seniority being a dominant factor in the decision.

The contract spells out guidelines under which the nurses "self-schedule." For example, all full-time staff members will be slated for a minimum of one weekend per month, holidays will be scheduled on a rotational basis. Staff may trade shifts to meet personal needs or desires after the schedule is posted (subject to the approval from the nursing supervisor) as long as the trade does not result in unauthorized overtime. For a copy of the Council 9 self-scheduling contract language, contact Katherine Cox in the Department of Research and Collective Bargaining Services at (202) 429-1159.

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