Friday was meant to be the final day of negotiations, but six hours after the morning event, union leaders told hundreds of nurses and community members packed inside the Davis Auditorium that no deal had been made. The current contract is scheduled to expire on July 9.
Leaders called for members of the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, which represents about 1,800 nurses at UVM Medical Center, to attend an all-member meeting on June 6 to voice their opinions on the union’s bottom line and the methods they should use to obtain their goals.
Earlier in the day, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, rallied with the nurses outside of the hospital. The national labor leader called for the hospital to care for its community and spend money on nurses rather than on administrative salaries.
“You’re acting like the Trump administration, not like a Vermont administration,” Weingarten said.
The morning press conference and the evening public rally were among several ways the nurses have aired their grievances to the public this negotiation cycle. Yard signs calling for fair contracts for nurses are scattered on lawns throughout the area. A May 12 union march in Burlington featured an appearance by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Julie MacMillan, a registered nurse and the union’s lead negotiator, said the nurses feel the community should be aware of the problems at the hospital. She said in past negotiation cycles, when the hospital was not in as good financial standing, nurses took cost of living adjustments so that they could keep serving the community. But now, as the hospital reaps enormous contract margins, she said the nurses have had enough. MacMillan said the union has been inspired by the successes of other labor movements across the country.
Among the nurses’ grievances is their claim that the hospital’s compensation is not sufficient for the cost of living in Vermont, and that it is lower than compensation from comparable institutions in the region.
Lower pay has prevented the hospital from filling its nursing positions, leading to extra work and worse patient care, according to the union. MacMillan said nurses have raised concerns about increases in so-called hospital-acquired conditions, such as falls, pressure ulcers and infections, which they say could be prevented with better staffing.
Anna Westervelt, a nurse practitioner in urology who spoke at the press conference, said understaffing has forced at least one colleague to work 50 to 60 hours a week while being paid for 40. Her own position was left unfilled for a year because of its low salary, she said.
“What we are asking for is not outrageous,” said Westervelt. “We are asking for the median and we are being told we are not worth it.”
Eileen Whalen, president and chief operating officer of the UVM Medical Center, said the hospital is confident that its compensation is competitive. The hospital conducts a detailed market analysis which takes the salaries of similar organizations, cost of living and non-salary compensation such as tuition into account, she said. The hospital is currently paying tuition for more than 90 registered nurses to complete bachelor of science degrees in nursing, according to Whalen.
“The average base pay for the vast majority of our nurses is about $64,000, and I would challenge that that definitely meets market rates,” said Whalen. She said the hospital is interested in working with the union to ensure wage increases move with the market.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual pay for registered nurses nationally in 2017 was $73,550. Nurse practitioners made an average of $107,480.
The union has said striking is an option if its demands are not met when the contract runs out on July 9. Whalen said the hospital is confident a resolution will be reached, but said striking is within the legal rights of the nurses. The hospital is planning in case it receives a strike notice to ensure the continuation of safe, high quality care, according to Whalen.
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Most of the nursing demands are not outrageous. Physicians, nurses, and staff are victims of a greedy, self-serving administration that has forced many needed services from both generalists and specialists to leave the area. Administrative salaries, bonuses, and benefits are outpacing and outperforming those of the actual hospital labor force. As administrators leave work early in their Teslas and porches, others are left working overtime without compensation. Its entirely criminal. A crisis is looming and those in charge are apathetic and ultimately have no sense of ethics, morals, or accountability.
I’m disappointed that the editors of Seven Days do not seem to believe that the biggest story at the largest healthcare provider in the region deserves no more than coverage by a mere intern. Would you personally trust your own healthcare to an intern? Then why trust coverage of the singular most important healthcare institution in our state to one so inexperienced? It seems a deep failure of journalistic judgement.
It really sucks when the hospital pays a smaller medical centers nurses 15% more and the nurses @ UVMC have to take their patients because they can’t deal with certain things. My info comes from a source inside the structure itself. Smarten up, take care of your nurses before you LOSE your good ones. Patient care comes first not your damn pockets.
Well, John, you have a publication that is free to the public who runs many positive stories about UVM Medical and seemingly does a lot of advertising for them as well.
Mark Lade: thanks for he manslaining. Sheesh…
I just cant seem to wrap my head around the math. UVMMC states theyre competitive and their average RN makes $63k. The US average is $73k. The government says there are only 10 other states more expensive to live in. They actually proposed LOWERING starting salaries of new nurses. Im sure that will attract and keep quality nurses. Because we all want quality nurses. This is our community, our families and loved ones receiving care at UVMMC. We do not want nurses that are not invested, only using UVMMC as a stepping stone to gain experience for a year or two then moving on to more salary in a lower COL area. Thats exactly what is happening now.
UVMMC is requiring their nurses to obtain bachelors degrees, but there is zero wage increase attached to it, so, yes, they should pay for it. Their nurses are making less then average salary in a high COL area and they want them to take on more student loans for zero financial gain. That makes total sense.
UVMMC had to give away almost $4 million last year to maintain their non-profit status but says they cant afford average wages.
UVMMC nurses are asking for AVERAGE. Just average.
Im utterly heartbroken. My personal and family ties to that institution go back over 40 years.
I guess before I look at finishing my degree, I should look for a course called Hospital math for dumb nurses because this nurse just doesnt get it.
John Gallagher seems to think he’s very important. I think he needs to get off his high horse or take it on a long ride off a short pier.
For the record, the average annual wage for Registered Nurses in NYC and Boston are $90,840 and $97,130 respectively.
Annoyed, perhaps you should consider calling yourself “Cowardly,” since you don’t have the spine to comment under your own name.
Some of the nurses there are better than the doctors who don’t really listen to what the patients have to say about chronic pain. The ER doctors have gone downhill and you never get to see a real one anymore. All you see are residents whereas the nurses are great and they treat you better than the doctors.