Dear Colleagues,

February 5 wrapped up three days of bargaining with CRONA this week and marked the eighth day of negotiations since the process began. Here are the highlights:

• Both parties are in agreement regarding the critical importance of the Workplace Violence language to protect our nurses while ensuring the highest quality of patient care. While the parties are not yet fully aligned, our team is focused on listening to and understanding CRONA’s position.
• Our team passed counterproposals on Staffing, Reduced Commitments, Rotator Schedules and Workplace Violence.
• The CRONA team provided responses on Staffing, PTO and Relief Nurse Attendance.
• We look forward to responding to additional proposals and making continued progress during our three sessions next week – February 11, 12 and 13.
• As always, you can find the latest negotiations updates on our website.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

February 4 marked day two of three bargaining sessions this week and our seventh session in total. The day’s highlights include:

• While most of the day was spent with both teams working separately in their caucus rooms, the teams exchanged several counterproposals.
• Our team passed counterproposals on Weekend Staffing, Grievance and Arbitration and Relief Nurse Attendance.
• The CRONA team provided responses on Staffing, On-Call and Sleep Rooms, Reduced Commitment and Workplace Violence.
  • Our team plans to respond to as many of these counterproposals as possible during our session today to carry the momentum from this week’s discussions into our three sessions next week – February 11, 12 and 13.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site for the latest negotiations updates.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

We returned to the table on February 3 for our sixth bargaining session with CRONA and the first of three scheduled this week. Our team continued its effort to close gaps and make progress on the issues CRONA has raised. The day’s highlights include:

• The parties reached tentative agreements (TAs) on Nurse Practice Committee (SHC) and Information Requests (SHC and LPCH).
• In addition, our team passed counterproposals on On-Call and Sleep Rooms, Staffing, Investigations and Written Warnings, PTO and Workplace Violence, as well as a response on Reduced Commitments.
• The CRONA team provided responses on Investigations and Written Warnings, Grievance and Arbitration and Workplace Violence, the last of which both teams continue to prioritize.
• The parties will meet again today, February 4, and tomorrow, February 5.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site for the latest negotiations updates.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

January 30 marked the third day of contract negotiations this week and our fifth session in total. The tone continues to be collaborative and professional, and the teams are steadily moving through proposals and closing the gaps where we can. The day’s highlights include:

• Our team passed our first counterproposals on Investigations and Written Warnings and Grievance and Arbitration. We also passed our second counterproposal on Workplace Violence.
• The CRONA team provided responses on Staffing, On-Call and Sleep Rooms, Schedule Posting and Workplace Violence.
• The teams focused much of their time on Workplace Violence, continuing important discussions and successfully narrowing differences.
• The parties made steady progress toward closing gaps on multiple sections and are optimistic that additional tentative agreements (TAs) can be reached when we meet next week on February 3, 4 and 5.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site for the latest negotiations updates.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

January 29 marked our fourth negotiation session with CRONA for our SHC and LPCH nurses and our second of three sessions scheduled for this week. The tone was again both positive and productive. The day’s highlights include:

• Our team passed counterproposals on Nurse Staffing, On-Call System and Sleep Room, Schedule Posting, Workplace Violence and Vacancies and Internal Transfers.
• The CRONA team provided responses on Shift Trades, Vacancies and Internal Transfers, and Nurse Practice Committee.
• The parties reached their first tentative agreement (TA) on SHC’s proposal on Section 22 – Time Off For CRONA Officers.
• In terms of our team’s Workplace Violence proposal, the safety of our staff and patients remains a top priority. Our proposal commits to:
  • Using best efforts to offer reassignments to RNs who have been subject to workplace violence or threats while continuing to ensure we meet our commitment to patient care.
  • Providing quarterly updates on both the number of workplace violence incidents as well as data on the reassignments offered.
• We will return to the table today, January 30, with both parties looking to exchange additional counterproposals and continuing to narrow gaps.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site for the latest negotiations updates

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

January 28 brought us back to the table with CRONA for our third day of contract negotiations for our SHC and LPCH nurses. We had another positive and productive session. The day’s highlights include:

• Our team focused the discussion on four of CRONA’s non-economic proposals (passed during the prior session). We asked clarifying questions to ensure our complete understanding of what CRONA is trying to solve for.
• Based on those discussions, our team will present our first counterproposals during today’s session on Nurse Staffing (Section 32), On-Call System and Sleep Room (Sections 7.7 and 7.7.1), and Schedule Posting (Section 17.9).
• We will also return to the table tomorrow, January 30, and we look forward to providing additional responses this week.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site for the latest negotiations updates.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

January 15 marked the second day of contract negotiations with CRONA on new contracts for the nurses of SHC and LPCH. We are happy to report another productive day. The session’s highlights include:

• CRONA kicked off the day by giving our team their full set of non-economic proposals. We greatly appreciate CRONA providing these so early in the process as it helps provide certainty on the issues to be discussed.
• Our bargaining team has already started reviewing these proposals and will also use multiple working sessions next week to prepare as many proposal responses as possible for when we meet again with CRONA on January 28, 29 and 30.
• During the session our team also provided CRONA with our own non-economic proposals. All non-economic proposals are now on the table, and we look forward to discussing these topics at our future sessions.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site for the latest negotiations updates.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

We have officially begun formal contract talks with CRONA, the first step toward our shared goal of reaching agreements on new contracts for the nurses of SHC and LPCH. We greatly appreciated the professional and productive discussions on our first day. A few points to highlight:

• The parties return to the table again on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
  • Both bargaining teams will provide their full set of non-economic proposals during the session.
• There is a great deal of work ahead, and as we mentioned in our earlier communication, we have an ambitious bargaining schedule. With the exception of next week, our schedule includes negotiations two to three times every week over the next three months.
• With negotiations, each day is unique. Some sessions may only require a very brief update, as the parties may be primarily in caucus or focused solely on a single important topic. Other updates may include much more detail—it will all depend on what happens at the table.
• Remember to check out our negotiations site. This site is your one-stop resource for updates and related bargaining information.

Thank you for your dedication and please stay tuned!

Dear Colleagues,

As we look ahead to contract negotiations scheduled to begin on January 14^th, we want to share our commitment to you throughout the upcoming negotiations process.

We are committed to working together with CRONA to achieve our goal of delivering safe, high-quality patient care while recognizing the critical role our nurses play in our health care system and reinforcing our commitment to supporting you and the nursing profession.

Negotiations can be difficult and there may be differences of opinion during bargaining. That said, we are dedicated to working toward solutions that promote our productive, constructive partnership. We’re confident that’s possible because we share the same goal – contracts that promote superior patient care, support your work, your professional aspirations and your life away from work.

We currently have sessions scheduled throughout January, February and March, and we look forward to keeping you updated along the way. We also encourage you to visit this website, your central source for the latest updates and information.

We are grateful to be a part of this extraordinary nursing team, and we look forward to reaching an agreement as soon as possible so you can benefit from the improvements a new contract provides.