Monday, December 20, 2010
WVU Hospitals Workers Prepare To Strike
WEST VIRGINIA....
A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10:00 A.M. after Local 814 workers at West Virginia University Hospitals rejected a contract Friday. The two sides met Monday morning to let the hospital hear the concerns of the workers, but the meeting only lasted 12 minutes. The Local 814 of the AFL-CIO says, if talks fail, it's ready to give its ten days strike notice on Tuesday.
Local 814 Business Manager Sherri Dezzutti believes the hospital's proposal is simply unfair, and, while hospital officials say they are not going to move on wages and benefits, Dezzutti says the union has several issues with the contract...a couple points being deal breakers. Dezzutti says the proposal includes a net 25 cent hourly raise, but also a hospital admission fee of $150 where employees currently pay nothing and doubling emergency room co-pay from $50 to $100. Dezzutti says workers offered 70 cents an hour raise with 15 cents going into the benefit trust. The proposal also states an early quit would now fall under a major offense that could include termination on the first offense.
Bruce McClymonds, President & CEO of WVU Hospitals says the contract offers a cumulative average pay increase of 13.2 percent over the next three years, and, while taking into account a needed increase in health insurance premiums, the net increase of 8.3 percent is still quite significant.
A meeting is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 10:00 A.M. after Local 814 workers at West Virginia University Hospitals rejected a contract Friday. The two sides met Monday morning to let the hospital hear the concerns of the workers, but the meeting only lasted 12 minutes. The Local 814 of the AFL-CIO says, if talks fail, it's ready to give its ten days strike notice on Tuesday.
Local 814 Business Manager Sherri Dezzutti believes the hospital's proposal is simply unfair, and, while hospital officials say they are not going to move on wages and benefits, Dezzutti says the union has several issues with the contract...a couple points being deal breakers. Dezzutti says the proposal includes a net 25 cent hourly raise, but also a hospital admission fee of $150 where employees currently pay nothing and doubling emergency room co-pay from $50 to $100. Dezzutti says workers offered 70 cents an hour raise with 15 cents going into the benefit trust. The proposal also states an early quit would now fall under a major offense that could include termination on the first offense.
Bruce McClymonds, President & CEO of WVU Hospitals says the contract offers a cumulative average pay increase of 13.2 percent over the next three years, and, while taking into account a needed increase in health insurance premiums, the net increase of 8.3 percent is still quite significant.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:41 PM 
