Victory for Temple Nurses!
The nurses and technical professionals of Temple University Hospital just scored an important victory for themselves, for the labor movement, and for quality healthcare for everyone.
After nearly a month on strike, the 1,500 members of PASNAP scored major contract concessions on what Temple University Health Services had billed as their "last, best and final offer".
In the middle of a recession, and in the face of increased hostility towards any organized workforce, Temple's nurses and techs demonstrated what a unified, organized and committed union can do. Over the last month they held a constant picket line in front of Temple Hospital, and turned out thousands of supporters to rallies at City Hall, Rittenhouse Square and the Constitution Center.
They also made it clear that their fight was about more than their own paycheck. In fact, these workers gave up one entire month of pay to stand up for their rights and the rights of their patients.
Perhaps one of their most important wins is the fact that the new contract does not include the "gag clause" that was in Temple's first offer. This clause sought to prevent any union member from saying anything negative about Temple Hospital, Temple University, or management. PASNAP members feared this would be used to stop nurses from advocating for legislation mandating stricter nurse to patient ratios, something they have has done consistently.
Throughout last year, PASNAP nurses were a major voice in the struggle to keep Northeastern Hospital open. After Temple closed Northeastern, and laid off hundreds of nurses, patient intake at Temple Main increased by over 10% without any addition of nursing staff, a clear reason to work for such a legislation.
Some other points of the new contract:
- The contracts of the two locals represented by PASNAP at Temple University Hospital (nurses, and technical professionals) will continue to expire at the same time. Temple had proposed to have the contracts expire at different dates, preventing the two locals from bargaining together.
- Children and dependents of PASNAP members will receive tuition reimbursements for 6 credits per semester at Temple University. Temple cut tuition benefits for the majority of its other employees last year, and had attempted to do the same to PASNAP members, in direct violation of their previous contract, which gave dependents full tuition benefits.
- Employees will receive a 2% wage increase effective July 2010, followed by 2.5% and 3% increases in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
- The cost of healthcare coverage to employees will increase to the same levels as what other Temple University staff currently pay, but Temple agreed to phase in this increase over the next year.
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