American Red Cross Nurses to Picket and Leaflet Outside Red Cross Offices in Dedham As Contract Talks Stall and Management Refuses to Negotiate or Arbitrate

Nurses Seek Reasonable Salary Scale, Working Conditions and Equitable Benefits

Registered nurses at the American Red Cross, who have been attempting to negotiate a new contract with agency management since last July, are taking their case to the public for support in protecting their union rights. As part of their effort, the nurses will conduct an informational picketing and leafleting today outside the Dedham Headquarters (as well as at five other American Red Cross sites throughout the state). The nurses plan to picket from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The 68 American Red Cross RNs, who are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have been negotiating their new contract since July 10, 2000. The nurses' last contract expired on August 15, 2000. After a number of negotiating sessions, a tentative agreement was reached in February, but was rejected by the membership on March 14, 2001. A request by the nurses to submit the remaining unresolved issues to Interest Arbitration was rejected by management, spurring the nurses to picket and leaflet for public support.

The RNs provide a variety of services including conducting blood drives throughout the state, teaching first aide and CPR classes to citizens and health professionals, and apherisis, a specified form of blood donating by removing platelets which are an important tool in cancer treatment. With headquarters in Dedham, the MNA-represented nurses work out of five different regional offices located in Springfield, Worcester, Peabody, Dedham and Haverhill.

The talks have stalled over key issues: salary, travel allowance and working conditions. The top salary currently is $25.27 per hour but the majority of the nurses are receiving less than $20 per hour, with many making $17 per hour. These rates are far below those of nurses working in the Commonwealth. The nurses are also seeking the same travel allowance provided to other Red Cross employees ($800 per year). This is only fair and equitable, especially since nurses are required to use their own automobiles for business travel.