Letter: Support Kadlec nurses against retaliatory negotiation tactics
Kadlec Regional Medical Center has earned many prestigious awards and titles of recognition. Kadlec was selected by our community for Tri-City Herald’s People’s Choice Award: Best Hospital and Company to work for in 2015. Endorsed by the American Hospital Association: Awarded “Best in Class” seal for high rating employee satisfaction. Until our recent affiliation with Providence, I would have agreed.
Registered nurses are in contact negotiations. Kadlec management proposes to permanently eliminate our EIB (extended illness bank/sick time) and cut PTO (paid time off). The value of the PTO takeaways and EIB elimination is over a million dollar per year loss for registered nurses. Management’s intimidating alternative proposal: Don’t accept our PTO cut and EIB elimination, and health insurance premiums will skyrocket for registered nurses.
All other Kadlec full-time employee plus family premiums: $84 dollars/month with the exception of registered nurses. Management’s retaliating offer: health care premiums for full-time registered nurse plus family: more than $891 dollars per month.
Kadlec management’s retaliatory negotiation tactics are disrespectful and bordering on extortion!
Tri-Cities community, please support Kadlec registered nurses by signing the online petition link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KADLCpetition2015
Kathy Elmgren, RN labor and delivery, Kennewick
This story was originally published December 27, 2015 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Letter: Support Kadlec nurses against retaliatory negotiation tactics."