Union leaders file complaint against hospital

STAFF WRITER

SOUTH WILLIAMSON - Though Appalachian Regional Healthcare officials say they are working closely with the United Steelworkers (USW) to call formerly striking employees back to work in “an orderly way,” steelworker officials say they have filed grievances against ARH in connection with the call back.

The strike, which began April 1 after months of negotiations failed to produce a new contract, ended April 25 when USW members voted to ratify a compromise agreement.

In a statement issued yesterday, Candace Elkins, spokesperson for ARH, said that the call back is in line with ARH's operational needs, which are evolving daily.

“One of the most important factors limiting our ability to recall all employees immediately is that our patient volumes have not returned to pre-strike levels in all facilities,” Elkins said. “Prior to the strike, ARH facilities were seeing increases in patient volumes and as a result of the strike, we have seen temporary setbacks in some areas. However, as the residents in our communities realize the strike has ended and see that our employees are working closely together to provide excellent care as always, we believe we'll see the increase in patient volumes again.

“We have notified employees that unfortunately, we will not be able to recall everyone immediately,” she continued. “However, we are assessing our patient volumes and workforce needs every day at each of our hospitals and will call people back to work as soon as we possibly can and in full accordance with the agreement with the United Steelworkers.”

One ARH employee who wished to remain anonymous said that ARH is calling back employees with lesser seniority instead of those who have been with the company the longest.

Rick Wilkerson, president of USW Local 14398, confirmed the allegation, using as an example licensed practical nurses. He said that instead of bringing back LPNs to perform their regular duties, ARH is still placing those duties on registered nurses.

Wilkerson also said that the USW filed at least one grievance against ARH on April 26 and charges have also been filed with the Federal Labor Relations Board in Cincinnati, Ohio. He said that there are several steps involved in the process and does not know when the claims will be heard.

“It usually take awhile,” Wilkerson explained. “Every time I have gone to talk with them (ARH officials), they just said this is the way thing are going to be done.”

Wilkerson, a respiratory therapist at Williamson ARH, said he went back to work Wednesday and he believes patient volume is increasing enough to call people back to work faster than it's being done.

According to a memorandum concerning the return to work by ARH employees represented by the USW dated April 21, six steps are to be followed:

1. When ARH determines the need for an employee in a particular classification, the senior qualified employees in the job classifications on the local seniority roster will be recalled.

2. ARH cannot predict the future need for staffing, which is predicated on operational requirements including patient care volumes and needs.

3. It is ARH's and the USW's mutual intent to work together to recover lost patient volumes.

4. ARH striking employees will be reinstated without any break in seniority for the strike period.

5. Upon ratification, the employee will be either recalled or place in a layoff status, pending recall.

6. In the event there is a conflict between this memorandum and the contract, the contract will prevail.

Wilkerson said he volunteered to take a layoff in order to allow other USW employees to return to work, but was not allowed to do so.

On the first day of the latest strike, USW employees who went out on strike against ARH for nearly three months in 1986 said it took over a year for some of them to be called back to work on a full time basis.

As for Williamson ARH's skilled nursing facility, from which patients were transferred a few days prior to the expected strike, capacity has not yet been reached.

“Williamson ARH still only has nine patients in our skilled nursing facility,” Williamson ARH Community CEO Wes Dangerfield said in a statement yesterday. “We are working on transferring some patients from our hospital to the unit at this time. We are recalling additional staff that will begin next week and then we will coordinate with the nursing facilities and residents/patients and their families for those that wish to return over time starting next week. In order to make sure all receive the appropriate care necessary, we will do so in a systematic manner. We want to make transitions as smooth as possible.”