Statement of Issue:

We, the undersigned, feel as though our Union is not providing fair representation for the Mobile Unit in current and ongoing negotiations with UnityPoint Health Meriter Hospital. Specifically, this bargaining year has strongly focused on the restrictions and limitations to core units floating without any further benefit to the float pool. Those that staff our Mobile Unit are required to maintain a wide variety of core competencies for the extremely diverse areas that we support daily. Many times the Mobile Unit staff are floated multiple times a shift, sometimes in the middle of our shifts and even to units where we are not trained to work in. This can only be done with an extremely educated, competent and experienced staff that can specialize in many different areas of treatment of patients. Without the Mobile Unit, patient care would be severely and negatively impacted.

Representation Requested:

The United States National Labor Relations Board writes about the right to fair representation on their website:

https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/the-law/employees/right-to-fair-representation

They state, “You have a right to be represented by your union fairly, in good faith, and without discrimination. Your union has the duty to represent all employees - whether members of the union or not-fairly, in good faith, and without discrimination. This duty applies to virtually every action that a union may take in dealing with an employer as your representative, including collective bargaining…”

By not adequately seeking additional benefits for the Mobile Unit based on specialization, education and overall impact to patient care, we believe we are not currently being represented in a manner that is fair or in good faith.

We respectfully request that the Mobile Unit Team be more fairly represented in negotiations in the current contract discussions. This includes shift differentials for all hours worked, for the specialty work that is done, and can only be adequately done as the Mobile Unit Team. We would like to have a further discussion with Union Representatives around what our concerns are and how we would like to be better represented in further discussions. Contact persons: Celeste Hershberger and Stacy Teachout