Contract Negotiations and Mediation

As mentioned in a previous post, SHARE and UMMS have hired a mediator to help us resolve the remaining issues in negotiations. The mediator has met with us five times so far, and we have four dates scheduled for May. We have made some more progress, and both sides remain committed to resolving the remaining issues as quickly as possible.

What is on the Table

The economic proposals continue to be difficult -- the three "time cuts" proposed by the management team (see comparison of SHARE and Non-Union personal days, vacation caps and OT) and, of course, raises. In addition to these economic proposals, the SHARE negotiating team is also pursuing agreements that support SHARE members in learning and growing in their careers at UMass.

Supporting Each Other

Eliminating a personal day, lowering vacation caps, and changing overtime rules would affect different SHARE members differently. An employee who depends on overtime to make ends meet might care most about the overtime. A short-term employee with only 2 weeks vacation time might feel the loss of a personal day most strongly. A long-term employee who has diligently saved their vacation time for an emergency might care most about lowering the cap on vacation time. As a union, we are committed to supporting each other on all of these issues. The negotiating teams are working to find solutions to these issues that SHARE members and UMMS management can both live with.

Raises

There are three aspects to negotiations about raises: the amount of the raise, its retroactivity, and the kind of raise (i.e. "across-the-board" raises for everyone, "merit" raises where your raise depends on your performance review, "step" raises that move people up through their grade over time, etc.)

One possibility proposed by the management team would be a raise that has a merit component. We have discussed the pros and cons of different raise systems in Information Meetings, and gotten some useful feedback to bring to negotiations. We have also been clear that the amount of the raise is very important, especially since many SHARE members do not make a lot of money. For the same reason, it is important to us that the raise be retroactive to last July. Thanks to all who contributed their thoughts, ideas and support. We are continuing to work through these issues at the bargaining table.

Chocolate Day(s) - Thursday and Friday

Join us to welcome spring with chocolate and good company! Co-sponsored by SHARE and HR at UMMS, Chocolate Day has been an (almost) annual event since 2005.

Thursday, April 3, Main Campus

11:30-2:00

Old School Lobby

Friday, April 4, South Street

11:30-2:00

Cafeteria Kiosk

Contract Negotiations Update

1. Raises

The last few negotiating sessions have been about raises -- both about how much the raises will be, and about how they are structured (the same for everyone, or performance-based, etc.) The SHARE team is currently reviewing a proposal by the management team that would link raise amounts to performance evaluations. We are collecting feedback from SHARE members at information meetings and in individual conversations. Please join us at a meeting, or call or email the SHARE office if you would like to discuss anything about contract negotiations.

2. Engagement

SHARE is interested in opportunities for employees to learn and grow in their careers at UMMS, and to have their contributions recognized. We have discussed these issues in negotiations, and are looking for ways to work together with the School to support employees' full participation in the workplace. Later this month, UMMS will administer a "Diversity Engagement Survey". We encourage everyone to fill out the survey.

3. Contract Information Meetings

Please come to one of the upcoming SHARE information meetings to get an update and give your feedback on raise ideas, ways UMMS could increase employee engagement, and other contract issues. (See previous post for times and locations.)

4. Mediation

SHARE and UMMS have requested the help of a mediator in contract negotiations. Employers and unions often use mediators to help make negotiations flow better, and go faster. The role of the mediator is not to tell either side what they have to do, but to offer ideas and facilitate the conversation between the management team and the union team.

Contract Information Meetings

Please join us at one of the upcoming information meetings about the SHARE contract. We will discuss where we are in negotiations, ask for your feedback on contract issues, and answer questions.

Tues 3/11     12-1:30     LRB, Michaelson Conference Room
Thurs 3/20    12-2          Sherman Building, AS5-2072
Tues 3/25     12-2          South Street, Australia Conference Room

SHARE members can attend information meetings on their own time. Come when you can. These are "rolling meetings" -- if we are halfway through the agenda when you get there, we will go through to the end and start again at the beginning so that you can hear all of it.

Bring your lunch, any questions you have, and a friend!

Scholarship Opportunity

SHARE got a letter recently announcing scholarships that SHARE members can apply for, and an application form to make available to you. Check it out, if you have a child or a grandchild are headed to college!


To: All Affiliated Locals of the Central Mass AFL-CIO, 

We are pleased to announce that we will be awarding six $1000.00 scholarships as well as a number of $500 Platinum sponsored scholarships.

The scholarship recipients will be drawn by lottery at the May community services committee meeting and the winners will be announced at the Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament on Friday, June 6, 2014.

The scholarships will be presented at the Labor Day breakfast, September 1, 2014.

To be eligible, the student must be a 2014 graduating high school senior going on to college and a child, grandchild or member whose local is affiliated with the Central Ma. AFL/CIO. Union members must live or work in the jurisdiction of the Central Ma. AFL/CIO.

All names must be submitted by April 25, 2014 and returned to:

Paul Soucy

AFL/CIO Labor Community Services

Central Ma. AFL-CIO

400 Washington St

Auburn, Ma. 01501

If you are a SHARE member at the hospital, you are a member of SHARE / AFSCME Local 3900. If you are a SHARE member in the Medical School, you are a member of SHARE / AFSCME Local 4000. Both SHARE locals are affiliated with the Central Ma. AFL/CIO.

Please click here for a printable .pdf version of the application form to send to Paul Soucy at the above address.

Overtime Rules, Vacation Caps and Personal Days for SHARE members

Last week the HR Capsule included a notice that the Overtime Policy had changed, causing some confusion among SHARE members and their managers. Please Note: That policy did change for many employees, but the changes do not apply to SHARE members.

Overtime is one of the issues that we are discussing in contract negotiations, along with all the other policies that UMMS has changed for non-union employees over the course of our 3-year contract. UMMS is proposing all of these policy changes to SHARE. These policies may or may not change as a result of negotiations but, if they do, no changes will take place until:

1. The SHARE negotiating team reaches a Tentative Agreement with the UMMS negotiating team about all the issues on the table as a package: policies, raises, training and career development, etc.; and  
2. SHARE members vote to approve the Tentative Agreement.

The three policies that UMMS wants to change that would have the biggest impact on SHARE members are Personal Days, Overtime, and Vacation Caps. These have all changed for non-union employees, and SHARE members have sometimes been mistakenly told that the "new" policies apply to them. So, to be absolutely clear, please see the chart below:

Non-union employees	SHARE members
2 Personal Days/year Vacation Cap = 240 hours/year Overtime paid for: ·         hours over 40 in a week ·         only hours worked	3 Personal Days/year Vacation Cap = 320 hours/year Overtime paid for: ·         hours over 40 in a week  or hours over daily shift (of at least 8 hrs) ·         hours worked or paid as vacation, holiday or personal time

January Member Meetings

Join us on your lunch break to discuss SHARE-UMMS contract negotiations:

• Mon 1/13  12-2 PM   South Street, England Conference Room
• Fri 1/17     12-2 PM   LRB, Michaelson Room
• Wed 1/22 12-2 PM   Sherman Building, AS8-2072
• Thur 1/23  12-1 PM   Animal Medicine, LRB Conference Room
• Mon 1/27  12-2 PM   South Street, England Conference Room
• Tues 1/28 12-1 PM   Animal Medicine, A-Level Conference Room

If these meetings are not convenient, give us a call and we'll work with you to schedule a time and place that is more convenient. The number for the SHARE office is 508-929-4020, or you can email share.comment@theshareunion.org.