SHARE UBTs Celebrate Reaching Top Level of Path to Performance

UMass Memorial Health and SHARE leaders recently celebrated an impressive milestone reached by two Unit-Based Teams, or UBTs.  A UBT is a frontline-led, department-level improvement system that enables caregivers to work on the process problems that make it hardest for them to feel proud of the care they deliver.

This week, Dr. Eric Dickson and other hospital leaders visited the Vascular Surgery Office and Diabetes/Endocrinology departments to celebrate the teams becoming the first UBTs to reach Level 5 status on the UBT Path to Performance.

While over 75 UBTs have been launched over the last several years across the Medical Center, Medical Group, Revenue Cycle, and Marlborough Hospital, these are the first to have reached this top level of performance.

In order to progress through the Path to Performance, a team, made up of a voluntary group of employees consisting of managers, union organizers, and frontline staff, must demonstrate competence in various ways, with a focus on designing and completing improvement projects in their own department. UBT projects often tackle things such as communication or workflow. The ultimate goal of the UBT is to make their departments better places to work — more enjoyable, smoother running, and easier places to give the high-level patient care that they want to provide.

In addition to delivering to each team a traditional SHARE-UMass Partnership Office award — a balloon shaped like a number “5” — Dr. Dickson heard from caregivers about which UBT projects have meant the most to them, what they are working on now, and how having a UBT has changed how they feel about coming to work.  

Congratulations Vascular Surgery Office and Diabetes/Endocrinology UBTs for leading the pack!

Click here to learn more about UBTs, and to find out more about how to launch one in your department reach out to Will.Erickson@umassmemorial.org.

SHARE Updates: PCA Pathway Program, Free English Classes, and Unit Based Teams

PCA Pathway Program Now Accepting Applications

Congratulations to the first graduating cohort of the PCA Pathway Program! They’re now on-the-job as SHARE members, caring for patients at UMass Memorial.

Do you know someone who wants to begin a career at UMass Memorial working on the nursing floors? The Patient Care Associate Program is now open to friends and family of SHARE members!

A Strong Summer for Unit Based Teams

First, the bittersweet news: after helping establish the SHARE-UMass Memorial Partnership Office over the past few years, our beloved UBT Program Coordinator, Stephanie Pepi, has accepted another job at UMass Memorial. We wish you the best in Ophthamology, Steph!

There was nothing bittersweet about the recent FMCS/LERA conference in NYC, where leaders from SHARE and UMass Memorial presented to an international audience about the importance of UBTs.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su (above, middle left) even pulled the presenters into a meeting to talk about the Labor-Management projects that SHARE members are pioneering on the front lines.

SHARE members Celebrate success — and Share what they’ve Learned — at the 2024 UBT Fairs

The most exciting news for Unit Based Teams this Summer is the fantastic success of the UBT Fairs on both the Memorial and University Campuses, where SHARE members showed off their projects to over 1000 attendees. If you missed it, be sure to check out the most recent UBT Newsletter!

Click the image above for lots more photos of UBT Fair fun

Free English Classes for UMass Memorial Caregivers

Patient Care Associate Pathway Training Program

Does someone you know want to begin a career at UMass Memorial working on the nursing floors? The Patient Care Associate Program is open again to friends and family of SHARE members! Learn more about the PCA Pathway program here, or scroll down to read the announcement flyer.

Participants in the first wave of this program, seen above, recently completed their training and are now on the job, as SHARE members at UMass Memorial, caring for patients.

No Voting Required This Year for SHARE Rep and Executive Board Members

This year there are enough positions for all of the SHARE Executive Board and Representative nominees. A vote is only held when there are more people running than there are positions to run for.

Congratulations to the new and returning SHARE representatives, who are now considered elected! Also, thank you to all of the nominators for honoring your co-workers by submitting their names for these important roles.

A list of all SHARE Reps and Executive Board members will be posted soon to the SHARE website

SHARE Leadership Nominations Closing Soon

Are you looking to have a richer work life? To be in-the-know? To make things better in your department, and across UMass Memorial? To better understand how our hospital works? To share your work experience with other SHARE leaders throughout the system? To increase the impact of your voice and the voices of your co-workers?

Know someone who is?

Nominate yourself or a co-worker to become a SHARE Rep or Executive Board member!

The nominations period closes just after Memorial Day, on Tuesday, May 28. The full nominations notice is below. Learn even more about what SHARE leaders do here.

UMass Memorial works because SHARE members — and elected leaders — do!

For a printer-friendly version of the below elections notice, click here.

Medical Assistant Apprenticeship Program

SHARE is very excited to announce this new apprenticeship program in conjunction with UMass Memorial and QCC. Please disregard the pay minimums listed in the flyer and note the pay guidelines at the end of this post, which pertain exclusively to SHARE members. For a printable version of this flyer, click here.

How the pay works for SHARE members who are admitted to the Medical Assistant Registered Apprenticeship program:

The flyer shown above for the Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program only lists the starting pay if you are coming from outside of SHARE. If you are already a SHARE member, your pay rate will be determined by your current grade. The promotional increase rules decide how much your rate would go up. The promotional increase is 5% per grade. (If that math doesn’t land your rate on a platform in the grade, the rate will be rounded up to the next platform.)

Medical Assistant Trainee is a NSG5 title.

Medical Assistant, Certified is a NSG6 title.

  • Example: If you transfer from a NSG3 job, like PCA 1, to the Medical Assistant Trainee title, that’s 2 grades higher. So you would get a 10% increase. You would get an additional 5% when you get certified.

  • Example: If you transfer from a NSG4 job, like PCA 2, to the Medical Assistant Trainee title, that’s 1 grades higher. So you would get a 5% increase. You would get an additional 5% when you get certified.

Note: If you transfer from a title in a higher grade, your pay rate would be decreased 5% per grade.

Direct File Makes Tax Filing Easier

Filing your taxes has gotten easier for Massachusetts residents. The following message explaining how comes from the AFL-CIO . . .

The average taxpayer spends a whopping $200-plus a year on tax prep services. I bet we can all think of better things we could do with that money instead.

That’s why the Biden administration is launching a new tax filing service called Direct File in 2024 that will allow eligible taxpayers to file their taxes online directly with the IRS—for free.

According to our most recent records, you live in Massachusetts, which is one of 12 states eligible for the pilot program this year: Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

The Direct File service will be available in English and Spanish, works on mobile devices as easily as it does tablets, laptops and desktop computers, and includes direct and dedicated customer support from the IRS. 

During the 2024 pilot, Direct File will support most simple returns for certain kinds of income (such as reporting a W-2 wage income or Social Security and railroad retirement income) and key credits (such as the earned income tax credit [EITC] and the child tax credit [CTC]). If your taxes are more complicated—like self-employment income, business expenses or itemized deductions—then Direct File isn’t supporting that yet and you can keep using the existing filing option that is best for you. 

The Direct File service will include a screener tool that will help you quickly confirm whether your tax situation is supported before you start filing. It also can connect you to alternative filing options if you’re not able to use Direct File this year. No one is required to use Direct File.   

Since Direct File is a new pilot, it will be rolled out in phases—and it’s expected to open to the public by early- to mid-March. For more information and to check your eligibility, visit directfile.irs.gov. You also can click here to subscribe to the IRS’ Direct File pilot newsletter. 

We think this is a pretty great way that the Biden administration is delivering for working families and for workers like you and your family to access free, safe and easy tax filing services. 

In Solidarity,

Team AFL-CIO

SHARE Updates: Quarantine, PCA Pathway Program, Scholarships, and more

Dear SHARE member, we heard last week that some people had issues with the email from SHARE, that it went straight into your work-email’s quarantine system.

So! We’re repeating some important scholarship information below, along with an announcement about UMass Memorial’s PCA Pathway Program: refer a friend or family-member to that, and get a $3,000 referral bonus!

Thank you for understanding about the redundancy. And thank you to those who let us know that SHARE emails weren’t getting through smoothly . . .

Patient Care Associate Pathway

Learn more about the PCA Pathway program here

Couillard Fund Scholarships for Nursing Education

Four (4) Couillard Fund Scholarships of $2,500 each will be awarded to active UMMH Medical Center clinical support staff or LPNs currently enrolled in a program leading to an RN licensure. The scholarship deadline is April 8th. Learn more, and apply, here.

Central Mass AFL/CIO College Scholarships

SHARE members again have the opportunity to apply for a valuable education resource: the Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO College Scholarship. The lottery for these scholarships will be open to any SHARE members, as well as children and grandchildren of our members, who will graduate from high school this year and attend college next year. We’d love to see more winners from SHARE this year. Learn more and apply to this fellowship here

UMass Memorial Hospital Named Among World’s Best

In case you missed it, Newsweek recently named the top 100 best hospitals in the world as ranked by an independent data-gathering firm. Fifteen of those hospitals are right here in Massachusetts, including our own UMass Memorial. UMass Memorial works because SHARE members do, and it’s nice to see that hard work recognized. Read more here.

New “Direct FilE” Service makes Filing for Taxes Easier

A new tax filing service called Direct File will allow eligible taxpayers to file their taxes online directly with the IRS—for free. The Direct File service will be available in English and Spanish, works on mobile devices as easily as it does tablets, laptops and desktop computers, and includes direct and dedicated customer support from the IRS. During the 2024 pilot, Direct File will support most simple returns. Learn more here.

2024 Central Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship

The SHARE office recently received the following annual notice from Joe Carlson, President of the Central Massachusetts AFL/CIO, about a really great scholarship opportunity for members. The lottery for these scholarships will be open to any SHARE members, as well as children and grandchildren of our members, who will graduate from high school this year and attend college next year.

TIPS FOR APPLYING

Many SHARE members are familiar with Chloe Belsito, a recipient of the 2022 scholarship, from her virtual performance to convey appreciation for caregivers in the UMass Memorial Gratitude Concert series. Chloe has also been a contestant on American Idol.

Please note that the union affiliation should be identified as AFSCME/SHARE. Members at UMass Memorial (including Marlboro Hospital) are in Local Union Number 3900. Applications should NOT be sent to the SHARE office.

OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Keep your eye on the SHARE blog for more #scholarships. For additional educational opportunities, check out posts tagged #education.

SHARE Updates: MLK Day, Education Opportunities & More

Happy Martin Luther King Day

As you may remember, our own union is very directly linked to Dr. Martin Luther King, and owes a debt of gratitude to his work toward social justice through organized labor. Research by the Economic Policy Institute points out that unions promote equity in key ways:

  • Unions reduce racial and ethnic pay gaps

  • Racial wealth gaps are much smaller for union members

  • Unions boost women’s pay (including in SHARE, whose membership is over 80% women)

  • Unions protect workers from discriminatory and retaliatory firings

  • Unions strengthen our democracy

Although our work as caregivers never allows for all of us to take a day off together, we’re proud that UMass Memorial Medical Center has agreed through our Contract to recognize Martin Luther King Day as an official holiday. SHARE calls on the other entities within UMass Memorial network, including Marlboro Hospital, to acknowledge the importance of this day.

SHARE honors Dr. King, and is honored to continue in service of the goals that he strove toward. After all, we know that the arc of the moral universe isn’t going to bend itself.

New education & College Debt Forgivneness Opportunities

Union Plus Scholarship Deadline: January 31

As a member of SHARE, you may qualify for one of several Union Plus Scholarships. The Union Plus Scholarship awards are presented annually to union members or members of their families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education. Amounts range from $500 to $4,000. These one-time cash awards are for study beginning in the Fall of 2024. Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). Learn more about scholarships here.

Union Plus Education Benefits

Union Plus College is back with new tools and opportunities for making affordable education a reality for union members. Their new program, Education Marketplace, is powered by Edvance and gives you and your union family access to regionally-accredited schools and programs to meet your schedule, interests, career goals and budget. Find Associates and Bachelors degrees that meet your needs, including 100% online classes, with up to 50% off tuition. Learn more about the Union Plus College benefit here.

Federal Student Loan Debt Relief

According to a recent NPR report, “Anyone who borrowed $12,000 or less in federal student loans and has been in repayment for at least 10 years will have their debts automatically erased in February, as long as they first enroll in the Biden administration's new income-based repayment plan known as SAVE.” See https://studentaid.gov/ for more information.

About the 2024 Dues Increases

You may have noticed that your paycheck has not yet reflected the recently announced 2024 dues increase. UMass Memorial tells us that these deductions are now scheduled to begin with next week’s paycheck.

How to Decline covid and Flu shots in compliance with UMass Memorial’s vaccination Policy

Although all employees of UMass Memorial are required to take action in accordance with the hospital’s flu and Covid vaccine policies, it is no longer required to get either of the shots as a condition of employment. No one has to get the flu vaccine or the COVID vaccine, they just have to fill out the paperwork to decline, per DPH.

In case you missed it, SHARE had a big year in 2023. Check out the SHARE website for some of our year’s greatest hits

2024 Dues Rates Announced

AFSCME, SHARE’s parent union, has announced dues rates increases for the upcoming year. The 2024 regular weekly dues rate for SHARE members will be $10.78. That is an increase of $0.55 per paycheck, or slightly more than one cent per hour. For members working 20 hours/week, the 2024 weekly rate will be $8.07.

WHY SHOULD I PAY DUES?

Dues are an investment that SHARE members make in themselves and their coworkers. Without a union, employees have very little leverage to make change, or even to hold onto what they have.

SHARE members want respect for the work that they do, fair treatment, opportunities for advancement, and good raises so that they can take care of themselves and their families. SHARE gives employees a voice in various ways:

  • In contract negotiations, we have a voice in our pay, benefits and work policies.

  • In union meetings and individual conversations, we have a voice in the direction and priorities of the union

  • Through the problem-solving process, we have a voice when individual problems/conflicts come up at work

  • In union elections, we have a voice in who our representatives will be

  • Through committees, Unit Based Teams, and ad-hoc negotiations, we have a voice in issues that face groups of SHARE members

When it comes down to dollars and cents, dues pay for themselves. SHARE has consistently negotiated raises each year that our union has existed, over 22 years. Those increases have resulted in notably better pay rates than non-union counterparts. Among other things, our hospital also continues to contribute to the Defined Benefit Pension plan of all SHARE members, as well as continuing to pay 85% of Health Insurance costs.

Working together through the union, SHARE members can continue to make progress in all these areas. And dues support the staff who support this work.

When it comes to a monetary cost-benefit-analysis, dues clearly pay themselves off. This image demonstrates how the math works for this year when comparing increases in costs deducted by the employer against the increase in wages.

Am I Required to Pay Dues?

Because all employees working in the SHARE bargaining unit at UMass Memorial receive the benefits negotiated by our union, all employees are required to contribute through membership or through an equal paycheck deduction authorized by a “Fair Share” card.

If you have questions or would like to sign a Fair Share card, please call the SHARE office and leave a message at 508-929-4020 or email share.comment@theshareunion.org.

Only members can run for union leadership positions, vote in union elections, and participate in benefits programs such as UnionPlus.

HOW ARE DUES CALCULATED?

Any annual increase is calculated by the AFSCME International office based on the average percent increase of AFSCME members’ pay rates across the country in the previous year.

WHERE DO MY DUES GO?

The short answer is that dues mostly pays for SHARE staff.

The longer answer is that SHARE members at UMass Memorial pool their dues money with members of three other unions locals: SHARE at UMass Medical School, HUCTW at Harvard University, and USW at Cambridge Health Alliance. The four union locals together are called the New England Organizing Project (NEOP). All their dues together pay for the union staff for all the locals, union offices, phones and utilities, mailings, etc. About 75% of the budget is for staff.

The staff spend their time gathering information and opinions from members, sharing information with members, developing and supporting SHARE Reps, helping members with questions or problems, negotiating contracts, organizing events, researching issues, writing blog posts, etc., all on behalf of SHARE members.

MORE INFORMATION

If you would like to know more, please talk to a SHARE Rep, email share.comment@theshareunion.org, or call 508-929-4020. You can also learn more about what our union does, and the benefits of union membership, by exploring www.sharehospitalunion.org.

Vascular Surgery Office UBT Reaches Level 4!

The Vascular Surgery Office UBT is among the first in the System to reach LEVEL 4 (High-Performing UBT) on their Path to Performance! That means they’ve hit some serious milestones, and established themselves as a strong team. They’ve presented their work recently to the SHARE-UMass Memorial Leadership Council (LMPC), and it’s clear that their teamwork is turning into some real fun.

Frontline SHARE members in this UBT have developed projects that have yielded measurable and sustainable improvement, and they communicate and celebrate regularly about the work and successes with the whole department.

This Unit Based Team works in the Medical School on University Campus. It is co-led by Beatrice Edmonds and Devon Germak, and is co-sponsored by Jana Hollingsworth and Stephanie Costello. The UBT Committee members include Mary Borrelli, Jeanne Magliaro, Norma Mills, Lindsey Carr and Hannah Akoto-Kesse.

Please congratulate them on their big accomplishment if you see them around!

The SHARE Union / 50 Lake Avenue, Worcester, MA 01604 / Phone: (508) 929-4020 / Fax: (508) 929-4040