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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0453.008 2000-2002 I~AwAII couN~rY coUllc1L Councilmc,nbcr Nancy Pisicchio, Chair Corntnittee on plurnan Services and Economic Development . Tuesday, January 8, 2002; 3:00 p.m. - S7CA.7i`E1dIE1~'I' OF D,~VE S`T~T'L1E~' ~t~;~-~__r__~__._____.'~y~..,,,~-~,.~~R,,~;,.s GAl1nDYI~1G RES®1.U'I`141~1 laT®.160-02 t~ / „-t.., °~=.4-_ ~ My name is Dave Statler, and I would like to speak in favor of Resolution No. 160-02. _ 1=or tlse past 4-l/2 years, I have been a Certified Nurse's Aide at Hale Anuenue. I enjoy my job • because I get to work with people avho need me. I used to work in archeology but was laid off when my eognpany was cut back by 60%. V4lith help from V.A., I went to classes to be a narrse's aids and got my certification. While the job is satisfying, I wanted to join a union because I felt that Hale Ar,uenue workers needed some protection and security on the job. I voted for the ILwU to represent us and thought we'd be able to negotiate a contract quickly. I never imagined it would be 10 months since negotiations began and still tao agreement. decently, I Darned how important union representation is. Until now, I had no problems witIa rna~.g~ttraent or the residetts. I think the residents as well as management liked me and thought I ~uvas doing a good job. Yet I was suspended for two weeks starting January 1, supposedly €or violating a house rule. `I`bis is what happened. Just before I started work one day, I approached a resident for help to circulate a petition among the residents in support of the workers and our contract negotiations. I read and explained the petition to l:er. I asked her, as a favor, if she could ask residents to sign the petition and-give then-a a "Partners in Health" pin. Shc said OK. But I also told her to return the petition if she felt uncomfortable about circulating it arad assured her that I d,d not want to cause her any distress. l did not pressure or coerce her to sign or circulate the petition. The resid~t was sitting next to another resident who heard our whole conversation. The following day, I asked the resident if size was able to get any signatures. She said there was too much ,going on so she didn't have titre yet. Later that day, I was called in to a me.~ting with the nursing director, the social worker, and the administrator. The resident was there also. The administrator said he was "disappointed" in ,ne t,r,d tasked "how could you do this to a resider,[." H.e said negotiations are between the company and the employees. "Don't get the residents involved!" The resident looked like she was ready to cry. I apologi2ed because I felt really bad that the resident see,x,ed upset, but I really didn't think I did anythins wrong by agtproachii:g hor. More than a week later, on New Year's Eve, the nursing director called me into her office and told me I would -lie placed on suspension "subject to termination' effective Jtvr,uary 1, 2002 because of the "severity of the act." I'm still not clear what "the act" is or why I was given such a . bile ~t~, To. - harsh penalty. Uther ctnployees had been suspended before, but I don't know of anyone suspended for two weeks. por exarrtple, one CIVA was suspended three days slier a second complaint that she calks rough to the residents. - In almost five years at Hale Aliuenue as a CNA, I have always treated the residents .with kindness, ~ ~ - dignity and respect I would never hurt any of'thent. The only lesson I as(~ed the resident for help was because we were having such a hard time with tnanagetnent over contract negotiations. I did not pressure the resident to help us and made it clea~• she had a choice. My utvon Is rcpreseaing me over this suspeltsion, which we fee! is unfair They are considering filinb an Unfair Labor Practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board Without a union, 1 would be all alone trying defend myself against what :I consider to be unfair discipline Being a nurse's aide is nut easy. We provide much of the personal care to the residents. We take their vital signs, help them dress, transport them around the facility and to the bathroo~xt, help them toilet and cflean then up, change their beds wizen they tttess, and help them cat as necessa,y. We do ail of this with compassion and respect because we care about the residents. VVe would hope management would treat ctttployees the saatte way. All of us are grateful for having a job, especially in th.cse difficult economic times. have a u{ife, three children, and six grandchildren. But the pay at Hale Anuenue is ncx enough to support my family. I make $9 3G an hour. Newly hired C1v~?'s stao-t out ar X7.15 an hour at I•iale Anuenue. Because the pay is not enough, many of us do home care to supplement our income. 1 have part-time work now that pays the $12.50 nn hour. I like .my job at Hale Anuenue and 1 want to keep working there. But I also want to be treated with fairness and respect. Une of the sections in the Employee I-Iandbook says "V1~~e believe in providing an environment in which associates feel secure that ehey wilt have long-terra employment with the center if they continue to meet the expectations of their jobs " I believe l meet the expectations of my job, but I do nut feel secure in my elnplc~yment--especially now. 1 urge you to adopt Resolution 160-02 to help the ILWU and Hale Anuenue achieve a fair contract. Thank you for the opportunity to tell you Itty story.