This page is for members to find relevant and timely updates about ongoing contract negotiations. Negotiations are summarized here, and in the links below you can find detailed information as well as our current contracts. These updates are provided by the SEIU Union Negotiating Committee: Tracy Fair, Sarah Engelhardt, Shanella Hawkins, Doreen Draper, and Amberly Burum.

There are things YOU can do right now to support your Union Negotiating Committee and our work to win the contract that we deserve. First, become a union member if you are not already! You can join the MMC Chapter here. Next, sign the pledge! And if you can, drop by a negotiating meeting to show your support. Negotiations are every Thursday at 10am to 5pm at the Roane State Oak Ridge campus, Goff Building 3rd floor conference room. All members are invited to come observe your Negotiating Committee hard at work fighting for all of us.

Day 1: August 15, 2024

We opened the first day of negotiations by clearly stating what our priorities are, which include living wages, maintaining safe staffing levels, enhancing working conditions, and having a healthy work life balance. It became obvious that staff will be a big area of focus through negotiations, including hiring and retention policies. Many voices, from both the management and employee side, will be part of these discussions as we move forward. Read the full update here and watch the video update or access them at the links below.

Day 2: August 22, 2024

On Day 2 we got into several specific proposals that align with our priorities. Some of those included improving the classification committee function, expanding eligibility for protection under Mandatory Shifts addendum to more job classes, expanding the Steward training and availability, plus several others. MMC Management also put several proposals on the table, some of which we outright rejected. The Committee needs to review several more of management’s proposals before the next meeting, including proposals that change the “Pulling and Floating” language and eliminate “voluntary lay offs.” We are very concerned about some of Management’s proposals, so we need your support! Read the full update here and watch the video update or access at the links below.

Day 3: August 29, 2024

This week we continued to focus on staffing issues and how urgent our needs are, across multiple departments. We made it clear that everyone is being asked to do more with less staff and that finding ways to address this is our priority. We put several proposals on the table, including doubling On Call pay and adding provisions about applying double pay for on call hours worked in excess of 8 hours, and for it to apply to all employees. Read the full update here and watch the video update (recorded live from the Labor Day celebration!). The next session is Thursday, September 5th beginning at 10am – everyone is welcome to come observe!

Day 4: September 5, 2024

A lot happened on our 4th Day of negotiations. We put forward many proposals that will strengthen our contract and improve our working conditions all while MMC management put forward proposals that would break down our protections and give them unchecked control. Our Union Negotiating Committee argued for increased holiday time and pay, pay differentials, and better policies regarding mandatory shifts, and more. Management’s proposals include things that will harm staffing, like removing the team model as a staffing priority, eliminating closed units, and moving RNs without pull pay; plus others like eliminating severance pay for some employees, significantly and drastically changing several aspects of the attendance and family emergency policies, and more. We are adamantly against many of their proposals. Read the full update here or watch the video update. We need everyone to know about these changes and what’s at stake. Reach out to the Negotiating Committee for more info about how to help.

Day 5: September 12, 2024

The stakes are high at our weekly negotiation meetings as management continues to push for policies that don’t actually address the issues most important to us. They continue to push for attendance policies that seem to punish us for using time that we have earned and are entitled to. Their proposed policies won’t actually improve our staffing issues and will just make it harder for us as the workers. We continue to oppose bad proposals and put forward our own for better wages, shift differentials, retirement match, and insurance coverage to include part time employees. There’s a lot more to discuss and continue to negotiate, and the more voices we have the stronger we are. Come to the Union Hall on Tuesday, September 17th to talk with the Negotiating Committee and get more updates. We have drop in times at 7:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 5:30pm and 7:30pm. Management needs to know that we represent the MANY and not just the few – it’s time to get involved, add your voice, and help us secure a solid contract. Read the detailed update here or watch the full video update here.

Day 6: September 19, 2024

Union members: your Negotiating Committee is holding two Informational “Rallies for Respect” on Wednesday, September 25th at 7:30am and 4:00pm out front of MMC on the turnpike. Come to learn about the updates and what’s going on, and just as importantly, to show management that union members and employees are backing the Committee in their work for the contract we deserve. The Committee continues to fight for us, and negotiations are ongoing about health insurance plans, pay, and the attendance policy, among other issues. Read the details in the full update here, watch the video, and please stop by the Rally for Respect on Wednesday. The Committee will be back at it on Thursday, September 26th from 10am to 5pm at the Roane State Oak Ridge campus, Goff Building 3rd floor conference room.

Day 7: September 26, 2024

We have finished 7 weeks of negotiating and only have 2 more scheduled sessions. Our current contract expires on October 10th. We are coming down to the wire and still having to push back against harmful changes that MMC management wants to impose on employees. MMC continues to propose increases to our healthcare, they want to take away family emergency days, and they are refusing wage increases that are equitable, transparent, and reasonable. What good is a raise if it all goes to paying increased insurance premiums and copays? Your Union Negotiating Committee continues to make proposals that will keep our contract strong. Read the detailed update from Week 7 here, listen to this quick message from the Committee, and reach out to get involved now.

Day 8: October 2, 2024

Management hasn’t budged on their wage proposals and continue to insist on policies that put undue burden on employees, like increasing our healthcare costs, changing the attendance policy, and opening closed units. Their proposal to open closed units means they could pull nurses to any floor or department without paying pull pay. This poses major patient and staff safety issues, and we also see it as a way for them to get around our contractual obligation to pull pay. This flies in the face of our long standing practices. We only have 1 more scheduled day of negotiations left on Tuesday, October 8 at 10am to 5pm at the Holiday Inn Express. Drop by for any amount of time you can to show management that we are all standing together. If you have not filled out a postcard yet, find a committee member or ask a staff member. Employees are also wearing solidarity stickers. Read the detailed update here and** watch the video update**.

Day 9: October 8, 2024

Today was the last scheduled day of negotiations. But the good news is we got agreement for a 30-day extension to continue negotiating for the contract that we all deserve. MMC continues to press on some proposals that fall short of what we need – things like detrimental attendance policies, opening closed units, increasing healthcare costs, and only modest wage increases. Your Union Negotiating Committee is continuing to fight for increased wages, shift differentials, affordable insurance and copays, longevity pay, and more. Want to know what you can do to help and get involved? Come to the Union Hall on Tuesday, October 15th at 7:30am, 3:30pm, 5:30pm or 7:30pm. Read the detailed update here.

The community stands with workers fighting for a fair contract. Thank you for your solidarity messages!