After taking their case to Northampton County Council twice and threatening to strike, registered nurses and social workers at Gracedale have a tentative deal with Northampton County. Executive Lamont McClure announced a possible new contract at Council's Apr 18 meeting, but disclosed no terms. These workers are represented by United Steelworkers Local 2599.
At two consecutive meetings, these nurses appeared at Council to complain of staffing shortages and resident care. But was it really about that or money? Let me make three points.
First, a contract with AFSCME, the union representing LPNs and CNAs, was approved overwhelmingly late last year. If things were so bad as portrayed, why on earth did that happen?
Second, it appears that nurses themselves are responsible for this problem. As Exec Lamont McClure observed in his State of the County, 30% of the workforce at Gracedale is absent on a daily basis. Could you imagine what impact that has on any business, to say nothing of a nursing home?
Third, if these nurses really did care about the residents and not their pocketbooks, wouldn't they have come to the April 14 meeting to continue speaking out? Their absence tells me more than their complaints.
I suspect the strategy here was to smear McClure until he met their monetary demands. This included an increase in an hourly bonus a RN gets just for showing up to work. This may have worked, but the nurses themselves look rather unprofessional.
This deal still has to be ratified by County Council, but that should be perfunctory. The only time Council hesitated to approve a union contract, it was sued for an unfair labor practice.
With this new contract, McClure will have settled eight of nine union contracts since taking office. The only bargaining unit he's been unable to persuade is the union representing corrections officers. That matter is currently in arbitration.
21 comments:
Good for them
The patients have long been a union bargaining tool. It's always about the money. 30٪ ? I'd go out of business very quickly with absenteeism like that. It's time to sell it. It's time to revisit a sale. This is ridiculous and residents are secondary.
30% absenteeism? Hard to believe. Could you provide a source?
rid us of this white elephant and the cry baby union punks. Think of the taxpayers not unions
Coming from the prison, I believe the 30% absenteeism is due to the fact that staffing is so short, there is simply no other way to have off than to call off. If Gracedale is anything like NCP, you can't take your time when staffing is short, it will be denied and it forces you to call off. Ditto Juvenile, Ditto 911....anywhere that is 24/7 and short-staffed, you will find this problem.
It is time to bring in outsiders to take a look at this problem. Why did we have full employment at the County Nursing Home years ago and then come to this situation of crisis today? Take a look at the whole picture. Bernie, you are singling out the Nurses to be the problem when the answer is probably management and the low wages paid. Stoffa and Brownstain were the problems not the answers to Gracedale and the employment situation at tat facility. Don't protect the County. They wear egg on their face on this issue. The voters said we want Gracedale to remain in County Control. Now fix it McClure or get someone on Board that knows how to steer that crooked ship.
You might start by looking at wages and then looking at the benefit packages.
Has mayor Donchez settled the Bethlehem Police contract yet?
6:56, I did provide a source. The county exec made this statement during his State of the County address, and also mentioned it at a council meeting. This is twice as high as it is in the county’s other 24/7 operations.
7:27, mandated or occurs at Gracedale, but far less frequently than at the jail. Sue Wandalowski provided the data at a council meeting and I reported it.
The nurses and social workers have always been difficult to deal with. Could it be union leadership? What are they doing in a steel Workers union anyway?
Save the elderly and Sell the place to a private conversation that owns nursing homes. The union swine at the troughs has to end. These people deserve more then the Auschwitz of Northampton County known as DiwGracedale
This is a solid contract. The elderly are the county's 718th most valuable asset. Those charged with caring for the 718th most valuable asset should be paid well. Lamont's Gracedale is an administrative work of art.
If my workplace was a joke and my administrators the weakling puppets of incompetent political hacks, I'd be tempted to blow off work a lot, too.
"We see you've been missing a lot of work."
"Oh, I wouldn't say I was "missing" it."
Correction Mr Mclure didn't want to neg the jail contract he wanted to give us pennies and he is not willing to look at the issues we are the lowest paying jail
The unemployment rate is historically low in the LV. I suggest you find better work for better pay. It's plentiful.
It is interesting to note that Bernie has yet to comment on McClure's recent attack on the Lehigh Valley Planning commission. Bernie is fond of both subjects so I guess he will just clam up for the time being.
Anon 5:38, you are right but you might as well forget it. Bernie is to McClure what Fox news is to Trump. Just a propaganda arm of his administration.
It is odd that in the past Bernie had McClure and Dertinger pegged for what they were. Now he somehow sees them as Biblical figures.
He will not listen or ask employees and not even the county council. He only listens to and believes McClure and his people.
Rid us of the bottom of the barrel in nursing care for these helpless people. SALE GRACEDALE! I bet right now if McClure says sell he has the community backing to do it. The last time it was because it was ANGLE and thats why in A NUTSHELL
Rid us of the bottom of the barrel in nursing care for these helpless people.
I find this argument disingenuous to say the least. I'm certain the majority of residents made their choice to go there. Secondly it's not a prison. Anyone can leave if they desire to go elsewhere. What is your real motive for trying to deny these patients the choices they've made?
"Rid us of the bottom of the barrel in nursing care for these helpless people. SALE GRACEDALE! I bet right now if McClure says sell he has the community backing to do it. The last time it was because it was ANGLE and thats why in A NUTSHELL"
This comment reminds me of Donald Trump you know the persecuted President.
Sam Murray fixed an an All Star Vote for his Son Joseph !
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