Local 1000’s Unit 17 bargaining team met with state negotiators today, representing the interests of our members who are Registered Nurses.
Today’s bargaining session focused on professional development for Unit 17 members. Professional development and career mobility are a high priority of our members and is a theme throughout bargaining this week.
Local 1000’s Unit 17 bargaining team met with state negotiators today, representing the interests of our members who are Registered Nurses.
Today’s bargaining session focused on professional development for Unit 17 members. Professional development and career mobility are a high priority of our members and is a theme throughout bargaining this week.
Professional development in Unit 17 is not only a benefit for our members, but also for the state. Health care is a field that is constantly changing, and having our nurses continually advancing and renewing their educations will be an investment by the state in its workforce, and improves the standard of care they can provide to patients.
Today, the Unit 17 bargaining team presented four proposals that would encourage and acknowledge nurses in state service for furthering their educations and for performing the duties their licenses ‘make possible. The proposals are:
- Education differential: Expands the opportunity for an education differential to all classifications in Unit 17. Currently only a handful of classifications receive this benefit.
- Scholarship: This proposal would re-establish the Registered Nurse Scholarship Fund in order to aide in the professional development of members by allowing them to complete advanced degrees.
- RN lead differential: Currently only a few classifications receive the shift lead differential. This proposal would expand the differential to the entire unit working in lead positions.
- Nursing supervision—Maintains proper standards of practice by ensuring that only those licensed as RNs can supervise RNs. This has been an ongoing issue and was voiced by many members at townhalls.
The Unit 17 bargaining team returns to the table next week for continued discussions on how our members and the state can work together to provide the best care possible by supporting, encouraging and developing the careers of nurses in state service.
A great contract happens when we show the state that our members are “all in.” Support your bargaining team – purple up, stand up, and send your photos to photos@seiu1000.org.
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