The following is from the Indiana Regional Medical Center on tonight’s informational picketing by the Indiana Registered Nurses Association:
IRMC is disappointed in the decision of the nurses’ union leadership to stage informational picketing during a community event rather than engage in meaningful dialogue with the hospital and to share the efforts made by IRMC to work with the Union during this difficult time.
IRMC negotiated with IRNA/PSEA healthcare for nearly eight months before declaring an impasse in negotiations in March 2019. During that time, and prior to the pandemic, IRNA/PSEA leadership led its members to go out on a strike before hearing the last, best and final offer from IRMC and before allowing its members to vote on IRMC’s contract proposal. Since negotiations first started in August 2018, the IRNA/PSEA leadership has never allowed its members the opportunity to vote on any IRMC proposals.
After the impasse and implementation declaration, IRNA/PSEA leadership filed numerous unfair labor practice charges against IRMC. Ultimately the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board found that IRMC had negotiated in good faith, had reached a lawful impasse in negotiations, and had lawfully implemented portions of its last, best and final offer. IRNA/PSEA unsuccessfully appealed this decision.
IRMC is committed to providing all employees, represented and non-represented, a highly competitive compensation and benefits package within our financial resources and to create a positive working environment. The average salary for a staff registered nurse is over $32 per hour. In January 2021, IRMC offered, and the union accepted a 2% wage increase – the same increase that was offered to our non-bargaining employees. In addition, registered nurses were able to receive an additional $12.50 per hour for working additional shifts during the busiest period of the pandemic in our region.
Hospitals across the nation have been faced with nursing shortages as a result of the pandemic. The shortages appear to be significant in Western Pennsylvania, according to national and regional media reports. IRMC leaders have been actively discussing additional recruitment and retention efforts with the IRNA/PSEA Healthcare union leadership. IRMC leaders have presented ideas and have listened to those brought forth by the Union. We have tried to have a meaningful dialogue and to solve problems together.
While IRNA/PSEA Healthcare leaders are publicly demanding a contract for registered nurses, the Union has not even requested to resume negotiations. The public-at-large cannot solve the challenges we face, and we hope that IRNA/PSEA Healthcare will recognize this and put more of its efforts into working with IRMC leadership for the benefit of their members, our patients and the community-at-large.
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