That was the Burlington City Council’s message to the University of Vermont Medical Center administrators and nurses who are divided on wages and working conditions.
The council unanimously passed a resolution Monday urging the two sides to find common ground after the nurses’ union went on strike for two days last week. The nurses returned to work on Saturday without a contract, but have not yet returned to the bargaining table, much less come to an agreement with the hospital.
The nurses’ union could strike again, though it would need to provide a 10-day notice to the hospital.
The council was initially reluctant to intervene, said councilor Brian Pine (P-Ward 3). He eventually brought forward the resolution to publicly acknowledge that nurses are “so critical to the community’s health, safety, and well-being.
“I think it’s appropriate for the council to take a position,” Pine said.
The resolution didn’t take sides, but urged the nurses and hospital leadership to “come to an agreement that is in the best interest of the community and respects the worth and dignity of UVMMC’s nurses and other health care workers, leads to safe nurse staffing and a reduction in vacancies, and pays fair and equitable wages to recruit and retain high quality nurses and support workers.”
“The longer this goes on, the more it tears this community apart,” Hartnett said of the division. “Please go back to the table, hammer this out, get a fair contract.”
Nurses, as well as the hospital’s chief operating officer Eileen Whalen, turned out to City Hall to express support for the measure.
Whalen praised the nurses’s work and vowed to find a solution. “All of you and all the people in this community are counting on us,” she said.
A handful of nurses reiterated the union’s arguments before the council: They are underpaid and understaffed, and have trouble keeping up with a greater numbers of patients.
“For years, nurses have done what they need to do, but they haven’t really stood up for themselves,” said nurse Joanne Hunt. After deciding to strike, “I felt both the proudest I ever felt as a nurse, and also the saddest,” she added.
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We ALL want both sides to come together on an agreement. One side has to acknowledge theyve been underpaying nurses for years while they give themselves huge bonuses, pay raises, and create more useless middle management positions that consume payroll budgets. The tone of this administration has to change as well if there is to be any compromise or healing. This love it or leave it policy does not work in this job climate or community. Intimidation, lies, bullying and institutional suppression need to end. We need better leaders who are willing to admit to their mistakes and be able to SHARE equity. Its in the best interests of the community they say they supposedly serve.
What is the exact point of milquetoast “resolutions” like this? “Figure it out?” Gee, thanks, City Council, for the constructive assistance. Looks like you’re trying to have your cake and eat it, too. Fortunately, most of the community can see right through it.
The hospital is sitting on 1.2 billion in the bank. The strike’s price tag was 3 millions. A drop in the bucket for them. Union proposal only 14 millions. They prefer to hire scabs and have the VT money leave the state-give it to these scabs just so they can break the nurses.
Truth is, they understand that the wealth of the hospital comes through exploitation and abuse of its workforce.
But nurses have had it. They’re done feeling abused.
Not sur how that will end. Nurses are on th he good side but administrators have no mercy. They only offered 7% raise over 3 years. 6 % will go o to inflation. They are greedy-and want to keep it all to themselves.
Nurses asking for a catch up raise after stagnant wages for a decade. 6% x 3 years. Hospital COO says it’s unrealistic. Is her $800 000 salary more realistic?