Well, if you want to know what the employer thinks of nurses and healthcare professionals, consider the rumors we’ve been hearing about Sparrow managers and administrators getting bonuses.
The employer has argued at the bargaining table that it is running over budget - even as it continues to propose dramatically higher costs to our health insurance. While we cannot independently confirm the bonuses, the rumors touch on the lack of priority that many us feel Sparrow places on its frontline staff and its lack of transparency about its finances.
In bargaining this week, the employer did not make an economic proposal in response to our proposal last week. The parties did exchange non-economic proposals.
Unfortunately, the employer continued to:
• Reject our proposals for stronger security within the hospital and faster alerts.
• Reject our proposals to curtail subcontracting of union positions – a practice that dilutes our bargaining power and removes quality jobs from our community.
• Propose removing contract language that provides additional COVID-19 protections to pregnant members or those with vulnerable medical conditions.
We need to come back to the bargaining table Wednesday with a HUGE show of power on Michigan Avenue on Tuesday. If you haven’t RSVP’d to the informational picket Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:30, please do so today!
We can’t wait to show the employer how much power and solidarity our union has.
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