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09.22.2005
NURSES
RIP ROMNEY OVER CONTRACT IMPASSE
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Bill
Fyfe, President of Unit 7 employees and about ten nurses held
a press conference at the Grand Staircase Thursday
blaming Gov. Romney for failing to negotiate a contract, causing
a staffing crisis in state hospitals and facilities.
From
the State House News Web site
Graphics
:: Unit
7 Info
From
the MNA Web site
View
the Cartoon :: View
Photos from Event
MNA
Unit 7 Web page
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By
Amy Lambiaso
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
amy.lambiaso@statehousenews.com
STATE
HOUSE, BOSTON, SEPT. 22, 2005….Without a contract for more
than three years, nurses who work at state hospitals and facilities
today accused Gov. Mitt Romney of having misplaced priorities and
called on his administration to negotiate a workable contract as
soon as possible.
Nurses
who gathered here today from the collective bargaining unit that
represents 1,800 state-employed health care workers said they plan
to hold demonstrations picketing the administration and its contract
offers and publicizing events marking the number of days without
a contract.
The
group also released poll results in which respondents say they have
growing concerns about conditions at state hospitals due to poor
staffing levels.
"The
lack of a contract is an insult to us and to what we do," Karen
Coughlin, a nurse at Taunton State Hospital, said at a sparsely
attended press conference at the Grand Staircase.
The
press conference was held to mark 815 days without a contract for
state-employed nurses. The current situation leaves them unable
to attract and retain nurses who are willing to work for less than
what the average private hospitals offer, nurses say.
According
to the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), the average nurse
working in a Boston private hospital earns between $40,000 and $90,000
a year. In comparison, nurses working in state hospitals earn up
to $60,000. Without a contract, nurses say they have not received
a raise in three years.
State-run
facilities employing these nurses include those operated by the
departments of mental health, mental retardation, pubic health,
youth services, corrections, the Soldier's Homes in Chelsea and
Holyoke, group homes, Worcester State Hospital, Tewksbury State
Hospital, Taunton State Hospital, and Lemuel Shattuck Hospital.
"The
safety net is fraying badly and is very close to breaking,"
said Bill Fyfe, president of the MNA's chapter of state-employed
health care workers.
Since
coming into office in 2003, Romney has repeatedly cautioned that
the state cannot afford the pay raises that public employee unions
have negotiated with previous administrations. Administration and
Finance Secretary Eric Kriss said today that most of the disagreements
in negotiations are over wages.
"We
have a policy of reasonable wage increases," Kriss said. "The
proposals have been made and the delay is a delay in agreement .
. . but we're very mindful of the needs and are making plans accordingly."
Fyfe
said the administration has not made a "reasonable offer"
to date, and blamed that on the governor's frequent speaking engagements
and trips out of state. "He has shown a total disrespect for
those dedicated professionals who have sacrificed so much to care
for them," Fyfe said.
According
to the poll released today, conducted by Opinion Dynamics Corp.
during the first week of August, 73 percent of the 500 respondents
believed nurses working at state facilities without a contract is
a problem. In addition, 68 percent did not believe their priorities
coincided with the Romney administration, and 55 percent said Romney
is focused on "doing what is best for Mitt Romney." In
that same question, 31 percent said Romney was focused on "doing
what is best for Massachusetts."
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