CNA and MHW Update December 30, 2021
The union requested the employer increase the incentive pay for the CNAs and MHWs to $30.00 and hour. The employer, Lynn Leahey refused and increased it to $10.00 an hour.
Dear Member:
I am writing to you to emphasize that our Union fully supports pay increases to CNAs and MHWs. Your hard work, your valuable work, justifies a significant increase in pay. Weeks ago, we told the employer this and offered to begin negotiations for our next contract immediately so that all of you could get well deserved raises as soon as possible without waiting several months for the next contract. The hospital refused our offer.
Now, sadly I have learned that some CNAs are circulating a petition to get out of our union. I agree that CNAs need a raise now. But so do all of our hard working members. We have many members earing under $15 an hour. A number of area hospitals including Kent Hospital and Westerly Hospital have already agreed to a minimum of $15 an hour. Shouldn’t our hospital? Dividing our union with such a petition months before we begin negotiations for wage increases and other important improvements to our pay and benefits is not helpful to anyone including CNAs.
Does anyone think getting rid of our union and leaving ourselves without any protection from Prospect Charter care administrators is a good idea? Does anyone think that Ms. Leahey has our best interests at heart? The hospital wants a short term solution to a long term problem. Our union wants an immediate negotiations to improve the pay and benefits for CNAs and all of our members. In any case, we will be starting negotiations in just a few months. Dividing our members now hurts everyone including CNAs. Supporting a petition to leave the union helps the administration divide the union and strip CNAs of all of the rights and benefits of a union contract.
This is the most challenging time in my entire 43 years at the hospital. I am committed to doing my best for CNAs and every other member. I ask for your support as we prepare to begin negotiating for our next contract because the old saying is true- United we stand, divided we fall.
Sincerely,
Cindy Fenchel, President