As the University of Vermont Medical Center and its nurses’ union hash out a new contract, the sides continue to operate under the terms of the old pact, which expired July 9.
But at least one policy has changed: The hospital no longer collects union dues from nurses’ paychecks.
Under the previous three-year contract, the hospital collected dues automatically from members’ biweekly paychecks and passed the funds along to the union. That agreement became “null and void” when the contract expired, according to UVM Medical Center spokesman Michael Carrese.
Union vice president Deb Snell said her organization was not surprised by the end to automatic dues collection and is preparing bills that it will send to its 1,800 members in the coming weeks. The union is in good financial shape and is not concerned, since it expects a majority of members to pay voluntarily, Snell said. Members have come forward asking where to send their money after learning the hospital was no longer collecting dues, according to Snell.
Despite the provision in the contract that ended the dues collection agreement, Snell argued that the hospital could have continued the practice.
“It was their choice to do this,” she asserted.
Julie MacMillan, the union’s lead negotiator, called the end to dues collection “a clear attempt to union bust.”
Carrese said the hospital has “no interest” in union busting and has cooperated with the labor organization to provide it with information needed to collect dues from members directly.
Moving forward, the union is looking into permanent payment alternatives, such as e-billing, so that it does not have to rely on the hospital again, Snell said.
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Mean while in another part of the state, activists were busy being appalled that the insurance companies of Vermont were requesting rate increased to keep from going bankrupt due to the increasing costs of health care.
In yet other parts, independent doctors are being squeezed out of business by a wink, wink, nudge, nudge oversight board.
Its also nice to see Bernie, who helps oversee the largest, most inefficient and poorest quality health care delivery system (called the VA) standing about looking pensive and concerned.
Quick lets add some more government oversight!
The insurance companies should be going bankrupt. What an incredible boon that would be. What an embarrassment our system of health care is. It rewards the greed of the insurance companies, all the while leaving millions uninsured. We’re a joke.
When there is no competition there is no incentive to reduce costs. We need to access insurance companies across state lines. We Need Competition. THAT will drive down the costs. It really is that simple.
Well isnt that nice and hostile of them. And passive aggressive, IMO. Why are people making this about insurance or health care costs? Separate issue. Nurses deserve to get a good wage, and have a work environment thats safe for them and their patients. The only similarity to the health care costs issue is that much of both problems could be solved if we stopped rewarding a few of the higher ups, at both UVMMC and the insurance companies, as if they were oil princes.
Yes it’s greed. The greed of the hospital staff, of the insurance companies, of the drug companies. And people are dying because of it all.
@Peter Morgan no, it is not that simple. When you are talking about, say, paper or cheap clothes, maybe thats true. But when you are talking about healthcare, what competition does is incentivize keeping people sick. In other words, it is far more lucrative to keep people dependent on medications than to cure them. It is far more lucrative to develop new *innovative* forms of treatment that sound very advanced technologically, but in reality have the same or worse outcomes and yet cost tens of thousands of dollars more. This is our healthcare system. And thats before we talk about the insurance companies who jack up costs for everyone without adding any value whatsoever.
Well this tells you where UVM Medical Center’s real feelings lie regarding an effective nurses union. They say in a Jane Lindholm interview that they support their nurses and want to work toward a common solution, that they see the nurses as a valuable asset, etc… But actions do speak louder than words. UVM has become all about making money, despite their “non-profit” status. They are clearly union busters and no friend to the nurses or the nurses union. Their scorched earth approach toward their colleagues during this disagreement will leave deep wounds that will take years to heal, if they ever do. Shame on UVM Medical Center and their overplayed executives.