by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
A union at UNM Hospital filed a complaint May 24 because it says the hospital is trying to stifle salary negotiations.
The National Union of Hospital and HealthCare Employees District 1199 N.M. filed a complaint with the UNM Labor Relations Board because union members don't make enough money, said Eleanor Chavez, the district's representative.
Chavez said the hospital isn't willing to give the workers the wages they deserve.
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"We need to move beyond thinking that people can or should make poverty-level wages and it's OK," she said. "The hospital is in that mind-set
right now."
The union, which represents about 2,400 employees, is made up of support staff for the hospital, including maintenance workers, housekeepers, nurses, pharmacists and social workers, Chavez said.
Chavez said union members earn between $7.32 per hour and about $21 per hour, depending on the job title and seniority.
Some workers told the union they have worked at the hospital for 30 years and make $10.35 an hour, Chavez said.
The union picketed outside the hospital on Lomas Boulevard on June 1 to raise awareness about the issue, she said.
"What we're going to do is begin to talk to the community, begin to talk to other unions," she said. "We're going to make this an issue in the community."
The hospital will respond to the complaint as directed by the Labor Relations Board, said Sam Giammo, spokesman for
the hospital.
Giammo said there won't be tension between hospital administrators and union members.
"We just still remain very optimistic," he said. "We always come to an agreement one way or another, and we're going to do that again this year."
Giammo declined to comment on whether support staff earns fair wages, because negotiations are ongoing.
The union filed the complaint after the hospital declared impasse on salary negotiations, which began May 4, Chavez said.
Impasse is declared in negotiations when both sides have reached the extent they are willing to compromise their contract proposals.
"When impasse is declared, an arbitrator is brought in and makes a decision on which contract will be implemented, looking at both sides' offers," she said.
Chavez said the hospital declared impasse prematurely because it wants its proposal chosen.
The union did not get a chance to respond to the hospital's latest proposal, submitted May 22, because of the declaration, Chavez said.
The negotiations happen every year, and hospital administrators want everyone to be satisfied with the outcome, said Billie Sparks, a hospital spokesman.
Sparks said the hospital values its support staff and will try to make it happy.
"The nurses are a critical element of our health care delivery," he said. "Negotiations for salary occurs every year and are ongoing currently. As in the past, the leadership is hopeful for a positive outcome."
