4,000 Sutter Nurses End 10-Day Strike and More Bargaining News

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/04/07/4000-sutter-nurses-end-10-day-strike-and-more-bargaining-news/

by May Silverstein, Apr 7, 2008

Some 4,000 nurses at Sutter Health ended a 10-day strike, and more from the “Bargaining Digest Weekly.” The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 900 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

Work Stoppages
CNA/NNOC, Sutter Health: Some 4,000 registered nurses at Sutter Health facilities in the Bay Area of California, represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), ended a 10-day strike that started on March 21 and are heading to the bargaining table.

IBEW, Verizon: Some 4,000 Florida telecommunications workers, represented by the Electrical Workers (IBEW), are planning to picket Verizon today, concerned about the level of customer service the company is giving customers. Doug Sellers, president of IBEW Local 824, says, “Verizon is not letting us do our jobs, and not letting us take care of the customer. Customers are waiting up to 10 days to get their phone lines fixed….If you have something as simple as static on your line, that could be out 10 to 15 days.”

AFSCME, Kaiser Permanente: Some 80 specialty nurses at Kaiser Permanente in California, represented by AFSCME, gave the company a 10-day strike notice over their battle to keep retiree health care in their quest for a first contract.

Negotiations
ILWU, PMA: The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), representing 25,000 dockworkers and marine clerks, and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) are continuing talks on a new waterfront labor contract. The goal is to reach an agreement before the July 1 deadline. The union is seeking to protect its current level of health care and pension coverage and to discuss new safety standards and measures to reduce port pollution.

Settlements
AFT, Nashua School District: In New Hampshire, some 650 Nashua teachers, represented by the AFT, voted to approve a new five-year contract. Details have not been announced until all parties approve it. The Board of Aldermen is expected to vote next week. The teachers had announced that they would strike March 31 unless they had a contract. The major sticking points in the negotiations had been health care costs and retroactive raises.

AAUP, University of New Hampshire: Professors at the University of New Hampshire, represented by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), announced a three-year tentative contract agreement that calls for annual across-the-board salary increases totaling 14.5 percent over duration.

UFCW, Giant Foods and Safeway: In Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and the Baltimore area, 23,000 United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) members ratified a new contract with grocery companies Safeway and Giant Food. The contract raises pay by $1.50 over four years and maintains health benefits. New hire rates also were increased.


Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only. As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.