Many SHARE members have been wondering about the recent news reports about the hazard pay agreement negotiated between Governor Baker and a segment of the AFSCME Council 93 union. Although that does not pertain to SHARE members, it could be a helpful precedent for us. Here’s what you should know now:
The Hazard Pay Reported Does Not Apply to Most Hospitals
That hazard pay does not apply to any employees at UMass Memorial. The union representing some public healthcare workers negotiated this directly with the State. The public sector employees involved in that agreement get most, if not all, of their funding through the state.
Advocating for Hazard Pay at UMass Memorial
SHARE believes that hospital employees should be recognized for the risks and contributions they make for our community, and hazard pay would be a good way to do that.
SHARE and several other UMass Memorial unions have been are talking with UMass Memorial management, making the case that giving hazard pay for healthcare employees is the right thing to do.
Multiple Concerns
Some SHARE members have had concerns about having the right PPE to be safe at work. We are addressing those issues with UMass Memorial leadership as they come up, to ensure that SHARE members who have direct contact with patients have the right protection.
In addition to advocating for PPE and hazard pay, SHARE is working to make sure that all members continue to get a paycheck. The hospital has committed to paying employees who remain in the Labor Pool up to May 2nd, and we want people to continue being paid throughout the COVID crisis. Although many hospitals across the state and the country are furloughing and laying off hospital workers, our hospital has worked out a labor pool system that is aimed to help keep everyone at work. We are working to help make sure that it’s implemented as fairly, safely, and as sustainably as possible so that it can continue after May 2. We are meeting weekly with management to achieve this.
More to Come
We will continue to talk with UMass Memorial management about hazard pay and other issues, and we will keep you posted about our progress. If you would like to talk about this or anything else, please contact your local SHARE Rep, your SHARE organizer, or call and leave a message at the SHARE office (508-929-4020).