PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE February 2021

PASNAP VIRTUAL HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2021!

APRIL 25–27, 2021 • For More Info, See Page 13!

#DELCOSTRONG! On the cusp of a deadly second wave of the pandemic, the nurses at Mercy Fitzgerald protested unsafe staffing at an informational picket on Oct. 27.

CRITICAL UPDATE Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals

February 2021

17 Open Contracts, 17 Contract WINS! Last fall, in the midst of a dangerous and deadly pandemic, we stood strong, fought hard and won. Join us on our victory lap.

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The Mercy Fitzgerald nurses overcame a lot in 2020: In the spring, they had the highest percentage of COVID patients in Delaware County AND they lost a president and one of their strongest union leaders through retirement. Despite these hurdles, the nurses won one of the best contracts in the state in November. During the campaign, they had an impressive 99 percent unity petition signed in just three days.

PASNAP’s second-largest local was locked in a bitter contract fight for all of 2020.

Despite the fact that their campaign was compounded by the pandemic, the nurses at Einstein Medical Center came out on top after coordinating with St. Christopher’s and voting overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Only then did they begin to see movement from management on the key issues, leading to a contract that included an expanded wage scale, successorship language, more PTO availability and better staffing language.

MERCY FITZGERALD HOSPITAL

NURSES ASSOCIATION

continued on page 2

EINSTEIN NURSES UNITED

Like Jeanes, St. Chris and their allies at Temple, Einstein nurses played a large role in high-lighting the PPE crisis and were instrumental in helping to secure the governor’s order in June on PPE, testing and masks.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR ANNEMARIE DALLAGO PASNAP Executive Board member Annemarie Dallago retired last month after 35 years of nursing, all of it spent at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, where she was deeply involved with the PASNAP local for 20 years, the last four as president. Critical Update spoke to Annemarie on January 19th, the first day of her retirement.

Why were you initially interested in joining PASNAP? “To advocate for my patients and their safety—that was the primary reason I was interested in the union and it remained my focus and my goal for all of my nursing career. I also wanted to advocate for nurses and healthcare professionals—to ensure that our working conditions were safe and that we could care for our patients to the best of our abilities. And, of course, I wanted to improve my family’s quality of life. And I have to say that I’m very satisfied—I feel that I thrived through all the challenges I’ve had, both as a union officer and as a nurse. There’s a lot still to be done, but I think we accomplished a lot, too.”

What was a highlight for you?

“Being an educator and a mentor for nurses. I feel like I was one of the mothers of the hospital, supporting and educating and advocating for the staff. I loved it.”

Co-presidents Jackie Ximines and Annemarie Dallago at the Mercy Fitz info picket in October.

What was one of the most important lessons you imparted?

“Never have any fear of speaking up if it’s the right thing to do. As a new nurse, I didn’t feel that way. But through the years, I learned. And I made sure to pass that lesson along a lot.”

St. Christopher’s info picket in September.

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ST. CHRISTOPHER’S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN NURSES UNITED

Facing the same anti-union lawyers across the table as their allies at Einstein, the St. Chris nurses were locked in tough negotiations throughout 2020. Coordinating with Einstein, St. Chris took a strike vote, which led to a softening of management’s positions. The nurses won wage increases, basic staffing protection, successorship language and other important improvements.

The fight against St. Chris owner Tower Health will carry on, however, as the company tries to implement cost-saving measures that will negatively impact patient care and the nurses’ health and safety.

Tracking Our Success 3 months, 17 contract wins. A timeline of triumph.

Seventeen PASNAP contracts were up for negotiation AT THE SAME TIME last fall. In order to increase our power, we coordinated on bargaining not just within facilities and health systems but across geographic regions as well. It worked. This is our timeline of triumph.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

SEPTEMBER

9 St. Christopher’s nurses hold informational picket to protest unsafe staffing.

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JEANES HOSPITAL NURSES

UNITED

Temple Jeanes was one of the first PASNAP hospitals to see sick COVID patients and remains an integral part of the region’s struggle for COVID-19 testing, PPE and quarantine protocols. When there was a logistical problem with respirators, Jeanes leaders reached out directly to Temple CEO Mike Young and got results that very day. In coordination with Einstein and St. Chris last fall, Jeanes negotiated a strong contract with improved wages, successorship and other significant wins.

Jeanes socially distant bargaining.

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WILLS EYE NURSES AND

TECHS

Wills Eye Hospital members settled their three-year contract in October, winning experience pay for technical and professional staff for the first time ever; a new step on the wage scale for senior nurses; and great new language all around. After a lull in negotiations early on, the team was forced to literally set off to flush the CEO out of his office (see photo!).

The Wills Eye team is currently working to develop a new structure with both old and new leaders of the local. The members are excited to grow their union.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR KATELYNN ROYSTON Relatively new to Wills Eye (she’s been at the Center City hospital for just a year and a half), Katelynn is an up-and-comer with Wills Eye Nurses and Techs United and a loud and proud voice for techs across the commonwealth and nationwide.

How did you become so interested in the union?

“Before Wills Eye, I was at Virtua Voorhees Hospital for eight years. At Virtua, only the nurses were unionized; the techs were not. And it became very evident to me that you’re treated differently, taken advantage of and worked to the bone when you’re not unionized. For years, I tried advocating for a voice for our group. It was important to me to find an avenue for unionization—to either bring it into Virtua or to find a union to join elsewhere. The job at Wills Eye just fell into my lap, and the union was a huge draw for me.”

Did you have any idea what to expect from the union once you joined?

“I didn’t. But I was lucky and walked in at a really great time, because our contract was up. I was asked to be a tech voice on the bargaining committee, and I jumped at the chance. It was an incredible education on what unions can do. When you come from not having a healthy work environment to having health at work, it’s hard to understand why people don’t understand the power of unions.”

What is the power of unions?

“Well, in our newly negotiated contract, I wanted more money for education, and we went from getting $5,000 to $7,000 a year AND we’re now paid upfront instead of being reimbursed at the end. That’s the power of a union. In a larger sense, though— and I’m speaking specifically to techs everywhere here—unions teach you that you’re worth fighting for. Techs are the labor behind the love of the job. We work really hard, and we’re not always seen. Having a union means that we have a voice, and having a voice means that we’re seen. It’s everything. That’s the power of a union.”

OCTOBER

OCTOBER

OCTOBER

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Ahead of a planned joint strike, nurses at Prime-owned Lower Bucks and Suburban Hospitals reach extraordinary contract deals that include the strongest protections for patient safety at any non-pediatric hospital in Southeastern Pennsylvania!

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

Nurses and techs at Wills Eye Hospital ratify 3-year contract, providing wage Increases every year along with experiencebased bumps in pay, a first for their technical staff!

Mercy Fitzgerald nurses hold info picket to protest unsafe staffing.

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SUBURBAN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL NURSES UNITED + NURSES ASSOCIATION OF LOWER BUCKS HOSPITAL

Both owned by Prime, Suburban and Lower Bucks coordinated on their contract campaigns, and both won big. The Suburban nurses won a contract that includes some of the strongest and most actionable staffing language in all of PASNAP and protects members’ healthcare options while decreasing premiums substantially. Plus, Suburban nurses remain among the highest paid nurses in Montgomery County, with most nurses seeing increases of more than 8 percent over the three years of the contract.

Like the Suburban nurses, the Lower Bucks nurses won a hard-fought contract that includes some of the best staffing language in PASNAP, allowing for safer staffing levels, increased patient care and a more consistent, positive work life for members. Plus, even in the face of extreme resistance, the nurses were able to force management to agree to 4%, 4% and 3% increases over the life of the contract.

Message from PASNAP President Maureen May, RN Dear PASNAP members, 2020 was not an easy year. Nearly 12 months into a dangerous and deadly pandemic, nurses and frontline healthcare professionals are intellectually, physically and emotionally exhausted.

Safe staffing remains a critical, nationalscale problem that nurses and healthcare workers are taking on the chin.

As a union of healthcare professionals, however, we have never been stronger, embodying the very definition of resilience, which is the theme for our upcoming PASNAP Virtual House of Delegates 2021. (Don’t miss it—see page 13 for more info and to register.)

In 2020, PASNAP nurses and healthcare professionals won 17 contracts and welcomed 4 new locals into our growing

fold (welcome, St. Mary Medical Center nurses, Rejuvenations healthcare professionals, the Crozer Pros and the Geisinger CMC Midwives!). We elected pro-worker candidates across the state, and made many new friends in the Capitol halls in both Harrisburg and D.C. In a year of tremendous loss, PASNAP had tremendous success, and we couldn’t have done it without all of you.

Of course, we also had our own losses.

Five of our exemplary leaders without whom we could not have achieved our wins, have either retired or moved on.

Executive Board members Annemarie Dallago (see page 2) and Roben Schwartz (see page 7), whose long and deep involvement in their locals and in healthcare advocacy, have helped to make PASNAP the organization it is today, retired early this year. Maria

Plano, Vice President of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children Nurses United, Samira Harris, Einstein’s Political Chair and Celeste Bevans, TAP Vice President, all powerful voices for PASNAP, also moved on. We will all miss them, but we will lean on the solid foundation they helped us to build.

In solidarity, Maureen May, RN

WATCH VIDEO

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER

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St. Christopher’s and Einstein nurses vote overwhelmingly to authorize strikes.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

Nurses at Mercy Fitzgerald ratify a 4-year contract (with staffing changes that will greatly enhance patient protections) ahead of planned strike!

Jeanes nurses ratified a new 3-year contract with new staffing and successorship language!

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ST. MARY MEDICAL CENTER

THREE QUESTIONS FOR BILL ENGLE

NURSES

The nurses at St. Mary had been closing in on a first contract agreement in March when the first COVID surge began, and as bargaining came to a halt, they shifted gears and began to push their administration for more PPE. When management came up short, they launched a video plea to the community and got their DON to stand outside the hospital with them. The video got 10,000+ views on Facebook, and the community responded with 20,000+ masks and other types of PPE. When negotiations resumed, the nurses coordinated with their sister hospital, Mercy Fitzgerald. The two hospitals put in strike notices at the same time. Fitz settled; the St. Mary nurses went on a 2-day strike and were locked out for 3 days, garnering broad political support and national media attention. The strike was covered by the Today show, Time magazine, CNN, Good Morning America, The New York Times, the Associated Press, and others, and the St. Mary nurses were subsequently named

by The Philadelphia Inquirer one of the 10 most important figures in Philadelphia labor in 2020. In December, they finally won their first contract, enshrining both patient and nurse protections.

Thirteen-year St. Mary’s nurse Bill Engle was a driving force behind unionization.

Critical Update caught up with him on the eve of the union’s first election.

Why were you interested in creating a union at St. Mary?

“Because I saw how Trinity was running the hospital—very, very lean. I thought it was dangerous, and when COVID arrived in all its fury, it validated my concerns and what many nurses at St. Mary’s had been saying for years.”

What did you like most about your strike?

“That we kicked Trinity’s ass. That we stood up for something. That we showed them we meant business and that we were willing to fight hard for our patients and for our profession. I’d always been a keyboard warrior; I’d talk about stuff on Facebook. But when we struck and I actually did what I’d long been posting about— standing up to a big corporation—it was amazing.”

Now you’re part of PASNAP. “Now we’re part of PASNAP—and I’m so excited about that! There’s such strength in numbers. I’m thrilled to be a part of something even bigger. You know what they say: Together we stand, divided we fall.”

Power Playlist Need a little oomph on your drive home from work? Try these classics from the St. Mary strike playlist. They’re guaranteed to empower.

• “Respect” by Aretha Franklin • “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers • “The Harder They Come” by Jimmy Cliff • “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister St. Mary strike in November.

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER

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St. Mary Medical Center nurses strike to protest dangerous staffing conditions.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

St. Mary owner Trinity locks out the nurses for an additional three days.

Einstein Medical Center nurses avert a strike by winning a new contract with better staffing and working conditions as well as successorship language!

St. Christopher’s nurses ratify new 3-year contract with successorship!

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9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 nnnnnnnn Welcome, Rejuvenations at Fair Acres!

CROZER HEALTH SYSTEM WINS Eight PASNAP locals within four different Delaware County-based sites (Crozer Chester Medical Center, Delaware County Memorial Medical Center, Springfield Hospital and Rejuvenations at Fair Acres) in the Crozer Health System won new contracts that set the highest standards for patient care in the greater Philadelphia area, including enforceable staffing guidelines that will greatly enhance patient care and significant wage increases that will help to recruit and retain nurses. At Crozer Chester Medical Center, the nurses’ contract provides overall wage increases between 12% and 36% over the three years of the contract. Other locals in the health system include: the Delaware County Nurses Association, the Crozer-Chester Paramedics Association, the Delaware County Technical Employee Association, the CrozerChester Society of Pharmacists, Springfield Nurses United and the newly organized Rejuvenations and Crozer Pros.

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NURSES ASSOCIATION OF

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY

Operating until recently under the Temple University umbrella, the clinics run by Temple University Hospital were sold to the Temple University Health System. The sale necessitated that the clinic nurses renegotiate their contracts during the height of the second wave of the pandemic, which limited their options, since large events and demonstrations weren’t possible. Still, the nurses negotiated with resolve and won a strong 2-year contract with wage increases and Just Culture.

DECEMBER

DECEMBER

DECEMBER

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More than a full year after organizing, St. Mary nurses win a first contract enshrining both patient and nurse protections!

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

Eight PASNAP locals within four different Delaware Countybased sites (Crozer Chester Medical Center, Delaware County Memorial Medical Center, Springfield Hospital and Rejuvenations at Fair Acres) in the Crozer Health System win new contracts that set the highest standards for patient care in the greater Philly area, including enforceable staffing guidelines and significant wage increases!

Nurses at Temple University Clinics unanimously ratify their first contract with Temple University Health System, winning significant wage increases and Just Culture!

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THREE QUESTIONS FOR ROBEN SCHWARTZ Roben Schwartz served as president of NEPANA since 2008, when the union was first formed. On January 2nd, she retired from nursing as well as from PASNAP’s Executive Board—but she hasn’t stopped praising the union she helped to nurture and empower: “With PASNAP’s political experience and great name, we’re going to be a huge political

force in 10 years. It’s only going to get better—so buckle up!”

What was the highlight for you?

“Nothing beats the formation of the union—getting the nurses to want to be organized, to want a voice and to vote.

It was both incredibly exciting and incredibly difficult, since there were a

lot of old-school nurses in the hospital at the time. CMC had a nursing school there, and with it came the mentality of subservience. That was a hard obstacle, getting people to understand that they needed a voice.”

A voice to counter the administration’s?

“Exactly. We pushed our administrators to sit across the table from us. We forced them to explain the decisions they were making. They never had to do that before, and when nurses saw that that was a situation we created together, they saw the power they had.”

Any words of wisdom for newer nurses— aside from buckling their seat belts?

“Being a nurse is a hard, underappreciated job. You need to appreciate your coworkers, because they have your back. When you do that, you advance your profession and yourself.”

“We pushed our administrators to sit across the table from us. We forced them to explain the decisions they were making. They never had to do that before, and when nurses saw that that was a situation we created together, they saw the power they had.”

—Roben Schwartz

NEW ORGANIZING SPOTLIGHT Geisinger Certified Nurse Midwives Five Geisinger Certified Nurse Midwives in Scranton joined PASNAP last year and are actively negotiating their first contract. Their short-term goals include winning additional midwives to staff the new low-risk Childbirth Center at CMC, paid holidays, time and a half for hours worked over 40, and raises that were cancelled by Geisinger in July. In the long term, they plan to fight to join the RNs and CRNAs bargaining unit in 2024.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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2020 SCORES, PART II Not every local had a contract campaign, but they all had wins. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NURSES ASSOCIATION During the initial COVID-19 surge in our area, Temple University Hospital took in more COVID-positive patients than any other hospital in Philadelphia. TUHNA and TAP held two public actions for PPE, staffing and hazard pay. Their efforts led to the hospital providing two weeks of COVIDrelated administrative leave, respirator masks for anyone taking care of a positive patient and COVID bonuses.

Still, the struggle continues. The census continues to climb, and while we now have N95 masks, we have a new crisis due to inadequate gloves and other supplies.

Union leaders are further pressuring Temple to do better by its healthcare workers and the community.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR BEVERLY MINCH Just 31 and an RN for little more than six years, Beverly Minch is deeply involved in TUHNA and in the voice it gives her as a young nurse.

What made you want to get involved?

“A lot of conversations with colleagues. My mom is a TAP member and has been at Temple since 1998. She and her friends were always telling me to get involved—that it was so important to get fresh sets of eyes and also to encourage other younger members to get involved. The younger you get involved, the more years you have to be involved and to make an impact.”

Were you involved in the strike?

“Tangentially, I suppose I was. I got hired right after the strike, so I didn’t experience it myself, but I lived through it through my mother and I saw the real impact it had.”

What do you say to your young colleagues?

“Get involved when you have the opportunity. This is your career. You chose to take care of people for a living, and in order to care for others, you have to take care of yourself. Utilize your union, get engaged, learn how to use your voice when you need it, and always help your colleagues. They have your back.”

TEMPLE ALLIED PROFESSIONALS In addition to a very successful May Day rally with TUHNA, TAP pulled off a quartet of key 2020 wins:

WIN WIN WIN WIN

TAP was able to get a member reinstated to a FT position (and granted some back pay!) after management incorrectly applied the Just Culture algorithm to his discipline and terminated him.

TAP helped two PAs who were not receiving the correct on-call pay to receive an $11 increase and more than 6 weeks retro pay after threatening to go through with an arbitration.

TAP was able to get TUH administration to acknowledge the moratorium on FBI clearances for hospital staff and pay lost wages to employees who were sent home for noncompliance.

TAP, along with TUHNA, filed a successful OSHA complaint against the hospital regarding the distribution of Nioshapproved respirators. The complaint triggered an inspection and, eventually, a $13,000 fine.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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THREE QUESTIONS FOR FRANCINE FREZGHI A 20-year Temple University Hospital veteran, Francine Frezghi’s involvement with TUHNA began the day she walked in the door. She just stepped down as president in December.

You were involved in the strike; do you have any stories from the effort?

“It’s all one big story for me. It was one of the greatest experiences I had with the union, seeing so many union brothers

and sisters in the city and my colleagues bring their tremendous support. We fought so that we wouldn’t be silenced, and I will never forget how well we fought and how hard we fought and how successful we were. I had no idea we were that strong until we proved it to ourselves. I remember being nervous that first morning; by the end of the day, I was in awe.”

You never really know your power until you embody it, do you?

“There’s strength in numbers. Given that nurses represent the largest number of healthcare professionals, we don’t exercise our power enough. There are so many ways we can do so politically and within the hospital. We just have to step out. We have to remember, there are so many nurses across the nation who will support us if we step out and are on the

right side of patients. Every time I have stepped out and felt like I was the only one, I found hundreds of people feeling the same way.”

How do nurses expand their sense of power?

“I think we need to rally around our young—encourage them and really mentor them to be the future leaders in our nursing profession and in our unions. Don’t throw them in but get them involved. Have them sit in, have them observe, have them shadow and follow.

We need to show them how successful we as unions have been, and we need to inspire them to continue that legacy. Our working conditions are so much better due to people who have come before us, and we need to continue that. We can’t just stand on their shoulders. We need to make progress, too.”

“Our working conditions are so much better due to people who have come before us, and we need to continue that. We can’t just stand on their shoulders.

We need to make progress, too.”

—Francine Frezghi

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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Pottstown Hospital nurses.

POTTSTOWN HOSPITAL NURSES UNITED Pottstown nurses joined other PASNAP hospitals to demand adequate PPE during the first months of the pandemic. And while we couldn’t block layoffs from the maternity unit this summer, we were able to secure new positions for those who wanted them and generous severance terms for those who did not. Staff and local leaders worked diligently to protect the rights of all our affected members.

ARMSTRONG COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL NURSES AND TECHS ACMH nurses won a grievance regarding the fair distribution of overtime after two nurses were cancelled because they were allegedly unqualified to perform new robotics procedures. The union had previously reached an understanding with the hospital regarding training for robotics and scheduling—so the nurses won the grievance! With the victory, the nurses will be paid and the issue resolved.

ACMH Techs successfully established training guidelines for a new Tech 1 position. Along with the posting of 10-hour positions, the new position will help to alleviate staffing issues in the ACMH Lab and—bonus!—bring new members into the union.

NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA NURSES ASSOCIATION—GEISINGER COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTER Early in 2020, Geisinger Community Medical Center RNs ratified an excellent 4-year contract—their best since they unionized in 2007. The final agreement included additional floating and staffing protections and wage increases of 3%, 3%, 3% and 4% to make the nurses at CMC the highest paid RNs north of the Lehigh Valley!

We removed performance evaluation from the wage scale and prevented the worst of Geisinger’s “Legacy PTO” plan by winning protections for access to the sick-time bank. The RNs also held a union officer election and filled every role on the local board with active, enthusiastic members spanning the hospital departments and age groups.

WYOMING VALLEY NURSES ASSOCIATION In 2020, the administration at WilkesBarre General Hospital was forcing every grievance to arbitration, failing to provide necessary information and refusing to meet with our union. We filed an unfair labor practice charge related to the grievance process and won—a significant victory before a board unfriendly to unions. The board agreed that management unfairly refused to provide the info we needed to pursue three grievances AND that management unfairly refused our union the right to assign our choice of representation in a grievance meeting. The National Labor Relations Act stipulates that both union and employer must use the grievance process in good faith. We proved that W-B General Hospital management did not—and won!

WARREN GENERAL HOSPITAL NURSES AND TECHS UNITED Warren General nurses and techs recently held a highly successful election in which 19 people were elected to executive or unit rep positions for the 120-member local. More than half haven’t been in union positions before—an excellent sign heading into contract negotiations this year.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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PENNSYLVANIA INDEPENDENT NURSES— BUTLER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL This year, Butler Memorial Hospital attempted to introduce new vacation guidelines that would have effectively established blackout periods for some nurses, making vacation selection unfair. The nurses filed a class-action grievance and won, using their contract, past practice and current scheduling alternatives to make their case successfully!

THREE QUESTIONS FOR TAMMY MAY A nurse for 28 years, all of them at Butler, Tammy May has served as president of the local union twice for a total of about 13 years, nearly half the time she’s been a nurse there. “Fighting for our rights has always been at the top of my list of things I wanted to do,” she says.

Has anything changed since your first stint as president in the early 2000s?

“The leadership has changed. In the early 2000s, it was very contentious. The leadership now is more open to conversation. They don’t always agree with us, and both sides know that. But both sides are able to listen and to look deeper into issues. I can text, call or email management, and I know they will look into my concerns and respond.”

Can you identify anything the union did to facilitate this change?

“As a union, when we go into negotiations, we are solid and strong. We also strive to be very, very prepared, so that we’re not blindsided. And we examine both sides of the story and try not to get too emotional. This can be tough, especially during a pandemic when everything is difficult, stressful and emotional. But you have to find a way to step back, see the bigger picture.

AND—this is important—you have to know your contract backwards and forwards. You have to have it down.”

How do you learn the ins and outs of your contract—any tricks?

“I’ve been a part of every contract negotiation since 1999, so I’ve had a hand in writing many aspects of our contract. But whenever anyone asks me a question, I go back to the contract.

Contracts can be tough to read, but you have to get beyond it, because it’s your work Bible.

Pre-COVID times, I held meetings for new members where we highlighted all the key areas of the contract—here’s your downsizing language, your scheduling language, your vacation language.

It’s never a problem to question it. But you have to know it and understand it.”

EAGLEVILLE NURSES AND TECHS UNITED In the spring of 2020, the nurses were able to secure bonuses for nurses who worked on the COVID unit and subsequently, after months of pushing, management agreed to offer bonuses to both nurses and techs for picking up shifts on the unit.

THREE QUESTIONS FOR KENDRA BARKASI Kendra did her nursing school clinical rotation at Eagleville Hospital and, really, never left.

She’s been there five years and is president of Eagleville Nurses and Techs United.

What drew you to Eagleville to begin your career?

“Honestly, the staff were just the nicest people. I loved the camaraderie I saw between the nurses and the techs—they all seemed to really love their jobs. I knew I wanted to work in psych, so I stayed.”

Then what drew you to the union?

“Three years ago, right before our second contract, the administration changed and with it, the way Eagleville works. For instance, during my initial interview, I was asked, ‘Are you in recovery or do you know anyone in recovery? Knowledge of addiction and the empathy that goes with it were a huge emphasis when I was originally hired. That’s not at all the case now, and it’s incredibly disheartening. Since April, we’ve lost 23 nurses and not strictly due to COVID. The current administration doesn’t respect the nursing staff, and they’re leaving one by one. Our past president left for that very reason. I stepped up.”

Others stepped out, you stepped up.

“Sometimes I feel like things can’t get any worse—I know 2020 has felt that way for many of us. But then I remember, things can always get worse, so you have to keep fighting. If you keep fighting and you do so together, change is possible. It’s really the only way.”

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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“THE TIME IS ALWAYS RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT” —Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In keeping with PASNAP’s mission to be at the forefront of making people’s lives better and in honor of Black History Month, Critical Update reached out to three PASNAP members to talk about what Black History Month means to them as well as the ways in which they connect their work in healthcare and in their union to Black History Month.

SELENA HODGE Community and Political Engagement Chair, TAP/TUHAHP, PASNAP Executive Board Member “I see my involvement with TAP and PASNAP as part of Black history because we liberated ourselves with action and positive motivation and purpose when we switched unions, and we’ve been able to achieve everything we’ve wanted to accomplish in PASNAP. “When people see our union Temple strong, with both of our locals outside fighting, they pay attention here in Philly. They know that what we’re fighting for is a major issue and as a result, I think City Council pays closer attention to healthcare issues with COVID. They have learned how contagious COVID is, not from the media but from direct communication from PASNAP. They understand why healthcare workers are concerned about PPE, and they grasp that CEOs were hoarding supplies and not protecting workers and patients.

“We’ve always focused on the commonality of our entire membership because we are brothers and sisters of all nationalities and we are focused on everything that is the betterment of our local and our statewide union so that we can empower everyone to be their greater selves—which to me is the whole point of Black History Month: to show that there’s not a separation and that we are all together in a Rainbow Coalition.”

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

UHURA “FREE” RUSS Grievance Chair, St. Chris Nurses United “Too often, we are put in the shadows in history. But we have folks like Fannie Lou Hamer and A. Philip Randolph that I was educated about. Learning about trailblazers like Mary Seacole and Mary Eliza Mahoney showed me that I, being a Black nurse, have a place in society.

“The challenge of being Black in society and for me as a union officer is to be a force in ensuring that nurses have justice, fairness and equality.

That’s what drives me as a union officer. Black nurses want access to healthcare and access to justice, and we never give up. My ancestors never gave up and I will never give up on being an advocate for access to healthcare. We should be able to participate in society no matter where we are. No matter what condition or illness you have, you should be able to live comfortably.

“We can’t empower patients if there are forces that still oppress us. That’s what makes me someone who fights.

Even though it’s challenging, I still wake up every day being someone who wants to help in my workplace and in my community.”

MABINTY SESAY New MemberLeader, Rejuvenations “It has been a joy and a privilege for me, a Black woman and woman of color from West Africa, to pursue my dream and my education. I am blessed to come here as a new immigrant, get an education and work my way up. I think it was Martin Luther King who paved the way for us to get equal rights and equal opportunity—that’s how I connect this month to my origin, from Africa to the United States.

“But we still face so many disparities when it comes to healthcare, and as a Black nurse, you definitely face ups and downs. That’s why I am so thankful to PASNAP. When something happened before we were unionized, we didn’t have an organization behind us. Now we do, and I will give it my all to build a strong union.”

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l a u t r i V PASNAP HOUSE OF DELEGATES 2021 PASNAP’s House of Delegates—your annual convention—will be all virtual this year for the first time. But that doesn’t mean we won’t have inspiring speakers, informative workshops, happy-hour hangouts... and even some virtual gambling for those who are so inclined!

Every year, our union comes together at our House of Delegates meeting to strategize ways to build a more powerful, engaged and active union. Typically, our House of Delegates meetings are restricted to member leaders. But since the 2021 meeting will be completely virtual in order to comply with the governor’s pandemicrelated guidelines, we’re opening it up to all PASNAP members. And we couldn’t be more thrilled. Solidarity!

Members from across the state will gather virtually (you’ll receive more info on how this will happen in the weeks and months ahead— just know, we’ll make it easy for you!) to share their stories, their experience and their expertise. We’ll learn how to strengthen our ability to win good contracts with safe staffing, solid wage increases, better working conditions and no healthcare give-backs. And, we’ll have fun.

In 2020, PASNAP nurses and healthcare professionals won 17 contracts and welcomed four new locals into the fold. We elected pro-worker candidates across the state, resulting in a real increase in power for workers in both Harrisburg and Washington. In an incredibly tough year, we had many notable wins—but, as always, there remains more work to do. Please join us to learn how you can help your local create a powerful wave of union strength in Pennsylvania!

MUST-SEE SPEECHES In addition to a wealth of valuable workshops by member leaders, staff and national experts, we have two very special speakers this year. Don’t miss either!

SARA NELSON International President, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO To quote The New York Times, “The shutdown made Sara Nelson into America’s most powerful flight attendant. A rising star of the labor movement, she’s made a career of getting unruly people to do what she wants.” Sound exactly like your career goal as well? Tune in for Nelson’s speech. She’ll talk to PASNAP about labor solidarity and the lessons of COVID. Monday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m.

JOSH SHAPIRO Pennsylvania Attorney General A fierce advocate for Commonwealth workers of every occupation, AG Shapiro will discuss how his office is actively protecting those of us on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monday, April 26 at 7 p.m.

OUR THEME THIS YEAR: TRIUMPH & RESILIENCE!

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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Sunday, April 25–Tuesday, April 27

SAVE THE DATE!

Register at https://cvent.me/Rbblqn Or head to the PASNAP website, www.pasnap.com, and register there!

!

2021 Consent to Serve on PASNAP Executive Board There are 13 positions up for re-election at this year’s House of Delegates, with terms of 1 and 2 years: President (1-year term), Vice President (2-year term), Secretary (2-year term), Treasurer (2-year tem) and nine At-Large Executive Board members (four with 1-year terms; five with 2-year terms).

By completing and returning this form, you are expressing your interest in filling one of these positions and consent to serve in that position for the appropriate term if elected by voting delegates.

I, ___________________________________________________________ (print name), consent to serve as: n President

n Vice President

n Secretary

n Treasurer

n At Large Member (1-year term)

Signature __________________________________________________

n At Large Member (2-year term)

Date _______________________

Executive Board consents to serve forms are due to the PASNAP office by APRIL 2; no forms will be accepted after that date. Forms can be mailed to PASNAP, 1 Fayette Street, Suite 475, Conshohocken, PA 19428, or faxed to the attention of Hilary Williams at (610) 567-2915. Please follow up with an email to hilary@pasnap.com to alert us that your form has been submitted and to confirm its receipt.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

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PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND BY-LAW CHANGES These changes to our Constitution and Bylaws have been approved by the Executive Board and will be voted on at the PASNAP Virtual House of Delegates 2021 meeting.

CONSTITUTION ARTICLE IV. Executive Officers A. The officers of this PASNAP shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer who shall participate as voting members of the Executive Board. Only active members of PASNAP in category A in Article III above may hold these offices or vote in the election of officers.

B. Officers shall serve for a term of 2 years, which shall run from July 1 following the election.which shall begin with the next scheduled Board meeting following their election.

ARTICLE VI. Annual Meeting E. Elections for delegates to the Annual Meeting shall take place by secret ballot among members in good standing of PASNAP and the local association either by mail, electronically and/or at a special meeting conducted between February 1 and March 1 of the year of the Annual Meeting depending on the method selected by the local Board. unless the delegates are to be selected by a A newly organized local association which has enrolled dues paying members after February 1 of the year of the Annual Meeting but cannot conduct a special meeting by March 1 shall be permitted to conduct said special meeting no later than March 31. Fifteen days written notice by mail to the members’ last known address or electronic mail of the date and time of such special meeting shall be given to the members of the local association.

G. Any objections to the election of delegates must be filed by candidates with the Secretary of PASNAP no later than three (3) calendar days after the election. Upon receipt of such an appeal, the President of PASNAP shall designate a member of the PASNAP Executive PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

Board to conduct an investigation within ten (10) days and such member shall issue a decision within ten twenty (20) days after the filing of the protest. If the investigation shows that there were violations which may have affected the outcome of the election of delegates, the election may be set aside and a new election held. In such circumstances, the new election, which must be conducted within seven (7) days of the decision of the member assigned to investigate, shall be conducted under the supervision of a representative designated by the PASNAP Executive Board member who conducted the investigation.

appointed by the President with approval of the Board. which shall have the responsibilities as listed in the relevant policies of the Board. The Board shall have the ability to create or dissolve committees as they are relevant to the needs of the Union. Such committees shall have the responsibilities as listed in the relevant policies of the Board.

Standing committees may include but not be limited to: Finance, Personnel, PAC, Education, Elections, HOD, Strategic Planning, Bylaws, Grievance.

Finance Committee Personnel Committee

ARTICLE X. Amendments A. This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote, either at membership meetings, or by mail or electronic ballot by mail ballot, depending on the method selected by the Executive Board. Twothirds of those present at the meeting, or two-thirds of all returned mail or electronic ballots, must vote in favor of the amendments. Any amendment must be proposed with the endorsement of the majority of the entire Executive Board or with the written endorsement of at least ten percent of PASNAP’s membership.

ARTICLE VI. Elections A. Each year, at the October meeting of the Executive Board, an Elections committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board for a oneyear term. The chair of the committee shall consist of three (3) members be a member of the Board who is are not a candidates for election at the Annual Meeting in the following year, unless there are not three Board members who meet that criteria in which case the committee shall consist of three (3) PASNAP members in good standing appointed by the President.

ARTICLE XI. Bylaws Bylaws and all subsequent amendments not inconsistent with this Constitution may be adopted by a majority two-thirds vote of the membership voting at any membership meeting or by mail or electronic ballot, depending on the method selected by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII. Local Associations A. Local associations shall be organized by the active members within a healthcare facility or bargaining unit represented by PASNAP. Where multiple bargaining units exist within a single facility, represented members may choose to have distinct locals for each distinct bargaining unit.

BYLAWS

B. A local association shall have categories of membership which are consistent with PASNAP’s categories of membership.

ARTICLE IV. Powers and Duties of the Executive Board C. Standing Committees. The following standing committees of the Board shall be

C. Local associations shall require recognition and approval of the Executive Board.

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D. The Constitution and Bylaws of local associations shall be consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of PASNAP. E. Any local association wishing to amend, revise, replace or otherwise change its constitution or Bylaws may do so by a two-thirds vote of the members voting, provided that proper and adequate notice of at least 30 days has been given to all members of the proposal to amend, revise, replace or otherwise change such local constitution or Bylaws and subject to the provisions of Paragraph D of this Article. Any proposed amendments must be verified by the Executive Board of PASNAP in advance of notice and submission to the members in order to be effective. Should any provision of any local association’s constitution and Bylaws contravene the laws or regulations of the United States or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, PASNAP shall (1) deem such provision invalid; and (2) conform the local association constitution and Bylaws to the relevant statutes or regulations. Decisions made by the PASNAP Executive Board may be appealed to the full Board by filing a written notice of such appeal within ten (10) days after the decision is issued. The Executive Board shall provide the opportunity for all interested parties to be heard and shall consider all other information obtained in the investigation conducted by a member or members of the Executive Board.

F. The constitution of each local association shall contain: (a) a provision establishing a quorum for each local association executive board and membership meetings and, in the case of any local association whose constitution and Bylaws do not contain a provision establishing a quorum, the quorum for meetings of such local association shall be ten percent of the membership in good standing in such local union and for the local executive board, more than 50% of its members; and (b) a provision stating that “except to the extent specified in this constitution, no officer of this local association shall have the power to act as agent for or otherwise bind the association in any way whatsoever. No person or group of persons shall have the power

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

to act on behalf of or otherwise bind this association except to the extent specifically authorized in writing by the president of the association or by the executive board of the association.”

G. The financial books and other records of local associations, including financial books and other records concerning any health and welfare, pension, insurance or other benefit programs covering members of such local associations, shall be open to inspection at any time by representatives designated by the Executive Board of PASNAP. Such inspection may be made at reasonable places and times designated by the accredited representatives and the books and records may be taken into possession by the representative upon giving receipt therefor. The principal financial officer of each local association shall see that any financial reports required by this Constitution or by the local association constitution and Bylaws be submitted to PASNAP within thirty (30) days of completion.

H. If any local association ceases to exist, all monies, books, collective bargaining agreements and any other memoranda of understanding or other agreements concerning wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment of members of such local association and other properties shall be transmitted to the Treasurer of PASNAP and assigned to PASNAP. ARTICLE VIII. Trusteeship A. In recognition of the fact that PASNAP has provided and will continue to provide assets to establish and strengthen local associations and in recognition of the fact that, at any moment in time, local association and PASNAP assets are merged, and in recognition of PASNAP’s duty to all PASNAP members to assure compliance with PASNAP’s governing documents and policies, it is deemed necessary and desirable to protect PASNAP’s assets and the welfare of PASNAP members as follows: 1. The Executive Board of PASNAP, upon the request by a majority of active members of the local association or by a majority vote of the Executive Board, may

a.

b.

c.

d.

be a two-thirds vote, impose a trusteeship upon a local association, if it finds that there is credible evidence of any one of the following: Theft or conversion of assets or serious or imminent danger of theft or conversion of assets; Fraud by any responsible local association official which endangers the integrity or safety of assets; Transfer or misappropriation of assets to an unauthorized their party or serious or imminent danger of such transfer or misappropriation; Negligent care or custody of assets creating danger to the integrity or safety of assets; The local associations conduct is in serious conflict with PASNAP’s governing documents, its policies, or the welfare of the members of the local association.

2. The imposition of the trusteeship shall become effective immediately upon the finding by the Executive Board, after a preliminary hearing. All local association officials shall cooperate immediately in the establishment of the trusteeship.

3. A full hearing shall be held as soon as practicable before the Executive Board to determine whether there is a need to continue the trusteeship. In addition, a full and accurate accounting and inventory of all assets shall be accomplished in an expeditious manner.

4. Should it be determined that the trusteeship need be continued, it shall be continued only so long as necessary to reestablish proper local association controls, to correct conduct in serious conflict with PASNAP’s governing documents, its policies, or the welfare of the members of the local association, and to assure that assets being held for PASNAP or other parties having a proper claim are properly distributed. All assets belonging to the local association shall be returned to the control of the local association as soon as these ends are accomplished.

5. The Executive Board shall appoint one or more trustees to assume control of the local association under trusteeship.

The trustee or trustees shall be active members of PASNAP.

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A. The PASNAP Executive Board is empowered to place a local association under trusteeship pending notice and hearing if the PASNAP Executive Board finds that a local association has (1) seceded or purports to have seceded, or (2) threatens to dissolve or secede, or (3) threatens to dissipate its funds or assets, or (4) has deliberately filed false dues reports or other financial reports, or (5) is engaged in financial malpractice or corruption, or (6) interferes publicly with a PASNAP organizing campaign, or (7) conducts the affairs of the local association in such a manner as to jeopardize the fundamental rights and interests of the membership of the local association or PASNAP, or (8) violates the PASNAP Constitution and Bylaws or any lawful order of PASNAP, and that such conduct cannot and will not be immediately remedied by the local association, such that the PASNAP Executive Board believes that an emergency exists.

B. During the trusteeship, the PASNAP Executive Board shall assume the affairs and business of such local association and may appoint a trustee. All actions of the trustee shall be subject to the direction, instructions and approval of the PASNAP President. Such trustee shall have the right, upon demand, to take possession of all the funds, property, books and other assets of such local association for the period that the trustee is in charge, with such assets to be held in trust for the benefit of the local association and to be expended only to the extent necessary for the proper conduct of the affairs of the local association. The trustee shall institute all necessary action to recover money or other property of the local association. The trustee shall be authorized and empowered to suspend from office any or all the officers and appoint temporary officers, from among the members in good standing of such local association, for the duration of the trusteeship; to remove or replace representatives or other employees of such local association; and to take such other actions as are necessary for the preservation of the rights and

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

interests of the members of the local association and of PASNAP. The trustee may manage the affairs of the local association with the assistance of the officers or temporary officers herein provided for until the trusteeship is terminated. The trustee shall submit complete monthly reports of the trustee’s actions and of the affairs of the local association to the PASNAP Executive Board. Such Trusteeship shall be continued no longer than is necessary. The local association shall have the right to appeal to the PASNAP Executive Board for removal of the Trusteeship on the ground that such Trusteeship has been continued longer than is necessary; provided, that no such appeal may be made within six months after a prior decision by the PASNAP Executive Board.

C. When the PASNAP Executive Board places a local association under trusteeship, the President of PASNAP shall appoint from among the members of the Executive Board a Trusteeship Hearing Board composed of three members. Said panel shall designate one of the members to serve as Chairperson. The Chairperson of the Trusteeship Hearing Board shall be responsible for making all hearing arrangements and for giving adequate notice to the local association.

shall be vacated. If a majority of the Trusteeship Hearing Board decides that the local association has committed any of the acts described in Section 1, then the Executive Board of PASNAP shall take such action as it deems appropriate.

G. When a Trusteeship is terminated, the trustee shall return all funds, books, property and other assets of the local association to its appropriate officers. The trustee shall make a final accounting of the Trusteeship and submit it to the PASNAP Executive Board and to the local association.

H. No financial obligation or liability of the local association which may exist at the time the Trusteeship is instituted or which may have been incurred before that time, shall be assumed by or become an obligation of PASNAP. ARTICLE XII. Elections Code B. Election of local association officers 1. To be eligible for election, a nominee must be a member in good standing of the local association and must meet such other conditions as are stipulated in the constitution of the local association.

E. The Trusteeship Hearing Board shall as expeditiously as possible decide whether the local association has committed any of the acts enumerated above.

2. An Election Committee shall be established and shall have general responsibility for the conduct of the election in accordance with this Constitution and the constitution of the local association. Any challenge concerning the eligibility of any nominee shall be referred to the Election Committee for decision and the decision shall be reported to the local association prior to the election.

The Election Committee shall also report, as expeditiously as possible, the results of the balloting, together with recommendations regarding any protests which have been lodged regarding the conduct of the election.

No member of the Election Committee may be a candidate for office.

F. If a majority of the Trusteeship Hearing Board decide that the local association has not committed any of the acts enumerated in Section 1, the trusteeship

3. The terms of office for officers of local associations shall be set forth in the constitution of each subordinate body but may not exceed three years.

D. A hearing shall be held before the Trusteeship Hearing Board as soon as is consistent with due process, but with not less than seven days’ notice, and not later than twenty-one days after the imposition of any Trusteeship. All interested parties shall be given a fair opportunity to present their views on the matter.

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4. Not less than fifteen days prior to the holding of nominations for local union officers, a notice of the nominations and elections shall be mailed to each member at the member’s last known address.

5. Nominations may be made at a regular or special meeting by a local association member. Nominations may also be made by a nominating committee, unless prohibited by the constitution of the Local association.

Those nominated shall be afforded the opportunity to decline, and the name of any nominee who declines shall not appear on the ballot. Write-in votes shall not be valid for any purpose.

6. In any case where there is only one nominee for office, such nominee shall be declared elected. In all other cases, election shall be by secret ballot. All local association members shall be afforded a reasonable opportunity to vote.

7. Local association elections may be conducted at the same meeting as nominations, or at the following meeting, or by referendum, and/or by mail or electronic ballot depending on the method selected by the local Executive Board and as provided in the local association constitution or Bylaws.

8. For in-person or elections by mail, any candidate whose name is to appear on the ballot shall have the right to have present an official observer of the candidate’s own choosing, who must be a member of PASNAP, in all places where ballots bearing the candidate’s name are to be cast or counted. There shall be no campaign activity within 50 feet of the polling area.

PASNAP CRITICAL UPDATE

9. Upon completion of the voting, the ballots shall be tabulated and the candidate for each office receiving a majority of the votes cast for that office shall be declared elected. Those elected shall be installed in office within 14 days. The names, addresses and terms of office of the newly elected officers shall be submitted to the Secretary of PASNAP. 10. Upon completion of the voting, the ballots shall be tabulated and the candidate for each office receiving a majority of the votes cast for that office shall be declared elected. Those elected shall be installed in office within 7 days. The names, addresses and terms of office of the newly elected officers shall be submitted to the Secretary of PASNAP. 11. Vacancies in office shall be filled in accordance with provisions of the constitution of the local association.

If no constitutional provision exists, vacancies shall be filled by vote of the executive board of the local association.

12. All election records, including ballots, shall be retained by the local association for at least one year after the election.

Follow PASNAP on Social Media fb.com/pennanurses @pennanurses pennanurses By law, the Union is required to furnish the following information annually. If you have questions, please call (610) 567-2907.

PASNAP, like other unions, spends the vast majority of its funds on collective-bargaining related activities as well as some amounts for political lobbing, community services, charitable donations, publications, certain litigation and other matters. As an employee represented by PASNAP and covered by a contract containing a union security or agency fee clause, you are required as a condition of employment to pay dues or an agency fee to the Union. Employees who are members of PASNAP enjoy all the rights and privileges of union membership including attending union meetings, voting to ratify contracts, running for union office, voting for union officers, and participating in certain union benefit programs that are provided only to union members.

Employees may choose not to be members of the Union.

Employees who are not members of the union pay dues or agency fees, but they do not enjoy any of the rights and privileges of membership. Non-member employees may be “Beck Objectors” and may request an adjustment to their dues based on their objection to the Union expenditures that they believe are not reasonably related to representational activities including collective bargaining, contract negotiations, and grievance adjustment and related activities.

Non-members who choose to object should request an adjustment to their dues. Such a request must be in writing, and it must include the employee’s full name, address, social security number, current wage rate, and employer. Such a request must be sent to PASNAP, Suite 475, One Fayette Street, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428. Such a request is valid until withdrawn by the employee.

Non-members who submit an objection will receive information regarding how the union calculates representational expenditures and have their dues reduced to reflect the percentage of non-representational expenditures from the previous fiscal year which covers the period of July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020. This reduction in dues will commence on the first day of the month following the receipt of the objection. Beck objectors will be required to pay 85% of union dues.

Non-members objectors have the right to challenge the union’s calculations of representational expenditure before an impartial arbitrator on an annual basis pursuant to the American Arbitration Association’s Rules for Impartial Determination of Union fees. Such challenges must be made in writing, explain the basis for the challenge, and be received by the Union at the above address within 30 days of the employees receiving the calculation information. If more than one member challenges the calculations, the challenges will be consolidated for hearing. The decision of the impartial arbitrator will be final and binding. PASNAP will pay the cost of arbitration. Challengers must bear all other costs in connection with presenting their appeal, such as travel, witness fees, lost time, representation, etc.

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