Supporting Clara Maass Nurses, Delivering for Patients

Updated June 17, 2024

Dear Valued Community Members,

We want to provide an update on the ongoing negotiations between Clara Maass Medical Center (CMMC) and 1199SEIU, the union representing our nurses. As always, our commitment remains steadfast towards delivering exceptional patient care, supporting our community, and ensuring the well-being of our dedicated staff.

Committed to Our Nurses

First and foremost, we want to express our gratitude to our nurses who tirelessly provide excellent patient care without exception each and every day. We sincerely appreciate their dedication and commitment to the communities we serve. Throughout this negotiation, we have prioritized the needs of our nurses with the goal of reaching a fair and equitable resolution that works both for them and our patients.

Union Negotiation Overview

Clara Maass Medical Center has attempted to negotiate with 1199SEIU in good faith for almost two years. We have held more than 30 negotiation sessions and the parties have agreed to more than 20 economic and non-economic articles for a new contract.

We respect the rights of our nurses to organize and express their concerns, including through peaceful picketing. We have approached these negotiations in good faith, as we always do, given our history as a union-friendly organization, and see no reason why there has not already been an agreement.

Annual Market Wage Review/Increase

At Clara Maass, we conduct an annual market wage review to ensure that we fairly compensate our nurses. This practice ensures their salaries remain competitive and reflect their skills, experience, and the local job market.

When other registered nurses in our system received market wage adjustment increases in 2022, 1199SEIU would not agree to these wage increases for our nurses at Clara Maass until September 2023. Our full-time nurses rightfully deserved these increases but lost on average approximately $7,000.00 because of 1199SEIU’s delay in agreeing to this. Only through the Medical Center’s persistence in negotiations have we been able to realize any progress for our nurses – including an average 12.3% increase of nurses’ salaries during the past year along with significant increases in shift, preceptor and charge differentials.

Employee Benefits

Despite what you may have seen in 1199SEIU materials or in recent media reports, Clara Maass Medical Center has not proposed any reductions in employee benefits, paid time off, or other concessions since collective bargaining began in 2022. CMMC has proposed the continuation of the same policies providing health, retirement and paid time off that have been in existence for years at CMMC. It is vitally important to set the record straight on any misinformation that can delay meaningful progress towards reaching a settlement.

The Clara Maass team looks forward to continuing discussions with 1199SEIU on issues and topics that are important to our nurses with the goal of reaching an amicable contract resolution.

Community Promise

As we continue to work towards a first contract with our nurses, please know that the ongoing negotiations have not, nor will we allow it to affect our ability to deliver the highest quality patient care to our community – our number one priority at Clara Maass. Our doors remain open, and our nurses remain dedicated to our patients.

We thank you for your support and understanding while we work towards a fair labor agreement that benefits our staff and allows Clara Maass to continue to serve the community with the excellence you have grown to expect and deserve.

Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Clyne, Ph.D. President & Chief Executive Officer, Clara Maass Medical Center

Statement Re: 1199SEIU Picketing

CMMC 1199SEIU Negotiation Timeline

  • Aug. 18, 2022: Clara Maass Medical Center nurses vote to unionize with 1199SEIU. The results of the election results are certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
  • Oct. 13, 2022: Clara Maass offers its nurses a market wage adjustment, amounting to an average 8.8 percent salary increase, at the very first negotiation session with the union. The proposal includes a management rights clause that allows the hospital to maintain operations during negotiations and mirrors language adopted by other bargaining units at RWJBarnabas Health hospital. The offer also includes increases to $6.00 an hour for night shift differential, $2.50 an hour preceptor differential, and $2.00 an hour charge pay. Similar adjustments were offered, accepted, and implemented at other RWJBarnabas Health hospitals. 1199SEIU rejects the market wage adjustment and salary increases for CMMC nurses.
  • Nov. 4, 2022: 1199SEIU submits a 79-page proposal that attempts to force a New York City model upon a New Jersey hospital. The union again rejects the market wage adjustment, denying CMMC nurses immediate raises.
  • Nov. 29, 2022 – Jan. 26, 2023: The parties meet six (6) times during this period without making progress toward a resolution. 1199SEIU continues to reject market wage adjustment that would have provided immediate raises to CMMC nurses.
  • Feb. 14, 2023: CMMC sends a letter to 1199SEIU formally separating the medical center’s market wage adjustment and management rights proposals and makes clear to the union that accepting the market wage adjustment would allow nurse raises to go into effect during the next pay period and not preclude negotiations on other topics from continuing.
  • Mar. 8, 2023: After repeatedly rejecting the market wage adjustment and nurses’ raises for months, the union refuses again to allow the increases to proceed and submits for the first time a wage proposal that includes demands for retroactive pay starting August 1, 2022, before the market wage adjustment was offered to nurses at other facilities and it could legally be offered to CMMC nurses who had not yet certified its vote to unionize.
    CMMC explains to 1199SEIU that the wage increases being offered would be funded through future—not retroactive—savings from the hospital’s ability to hire more staff and reduce its reliance on more costly agency nurses, but that the union’s refusal to accept the market wage adjustment puts CMMC at a competitive disadvantage in recruiting and hiring new staff.
  • March 31, 2023: CMMC formally rejects union wage proposal and reiterates market wage adjustment proposal that could go into effect the first pay period after it is accepted and would not preclude negotiations on other topics.
  • April 3, 2023: CMMC sends personalized letters to nursing staff explaining what their new salaries would be under the proposed market wage adjustment the union has blocked from being implemented for nearly six months.
  • May 16, 2023: 1199SEIU buses in members largely from New York City to picket Clara Maass Medical Center.
  • May 18 – July 19, 2023: The parties meet six (6) times without making progress towards a resolution. 1199SEIU continues to reject market wage adjustment that would have provided immediate raises to CMMC nurses.
  • July 22, 2023: 1199SEIU buses in members largely from New York City to picket Clara Maass Medical Center.
  • Aug. 10, 2023: 1199SEIU requests and demands “significant progress” be made in negotiations yet continues to reject market wage adjustment and nurse raises from being implemented.
  • Sept. 12, 2023: After 11 months of stonewalling, 1199SEIU finally accepts the market wage adjustment CMMC first offered in October 2022 but requests to continue to negotiate over retroactive pay and seniority. The market wage adjustment includes a new, 30-year wage scale based on experience, a $5.00 an hour differential for per diem registered nurses based on the 30-year scale, and hourly increases in preceptor pay to $2.50, $6.00 for nightshift differential, and $2.00 for charge pay. Salary increases are implemented, effective September 3, and are reflected in the nurses’ September 21 paychecks.
  • Sept. 26, 2023: Negotiations continue between CMMC and 1199SEIU. The parties discuss previous proposals on seniority, health, and safety. No progress is made. Instead of continuing to meet and negotiate into the night, the union decides to end the session with the threat of a strike.
  • October 18, 2023: Negotiations continue between CMMC and 1199SEIU. The parties discuss language around seniority, self-scheduling, health and safety, union activity, and patient experience and staffing committee. No major milestone or settlement is reached.

  • November 14, 2023: Negotiations continue between CMMC and 1199SEIU. Several topics were discussed, including but not limited to union activity, self-scheduling, health and safety committee and seniority. Although there was progress made, no agreement was reached. The next meeting is scheduled for November 21.

  • November 21, 2023: Negotiations continue between the Medical Center and 1199 SEIU. CMMC responds to the union’s wage proposal with its own competitive wage proposal that aligns with compensation elsewhere in the region and within the RWJBarnabas Health system. The parties continue discussions on health and safety, self-scheduling and union activity. The next negotiation session is scheduled for December 5.

  • December 5, 2023: Negotiations continue between the Medical Center and 1199 SEIU. The parties reached a tentative agreement on language setting forth a grievance process. In addition, the parties had a lengthy discussion regarding the Medical Center’s most recent wage proposal. CMMC has proposed increasing full-time, part-time and per diem hourly rates 3.5% along with preceptor pay to $3.50 per hour, which is consistent with the 2023 annual increase RWJBarnabas Health recently offered nurses across the system. To ensure wages remain competitive and our nurses are fairly compensated, CMMC has agreed to make this increase retroactive to November 15, 2023, while negotiations on other topics continue. 1199SEIU has yet to accept this offer. The next negotiation session is scheduled for December 20, 2023.

  • December 20, 2023: Negotiations continue between the Medical Center and 1199 SEIU. Most of the discussion was focused on the Medical Center’s recent wage proposal. Unfortunately, no agreement was reached. The next negotiation session is scheduled for January 9.

  • January 9, 2024: Negotiations continue between the Medical Center and 1199 SEIU. The union accepts a 3.5% wage increase for all RNs in the bargaining unit, while negotiations on other topics continue. These well-deserved raises ensure our dedicated CMMC nurses’ salaries are in line with their peers throughout the Northern Region. The next negotiation session is scheduled for Friday, January 26, and will be held virtually.

  • January 31, 2024: CMMC and 1199SEIU hold 32nd bargaining session since the Union was elected in August of 2022. No agreement was reached but the parties continue to negotiate on various topics. The Union proposed that the Medical Center’s staffing guidelines be incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement. The Medical Center rejected the Union’s proposal and explained the CMMC guidelines, which are consistent with industry standards and state regulations and are a reference point when making staffing decisions. The next negotiations session is scheduled for February 14.

  • February 14, 2024: Negotiations continue between the Medical Center and 1199 SEIU in the 33rd bargaining session since the Union was elected in August of 2022. The Union and the Medical Center exchanged proposals on several provisions, including shift and differentials, the benefits program (including retirement, health and life insurance, and PTO), and overtime. No agreement was reached on a contract. The next negotiations session is scheduled for February 28.

  • February 28, 2024: CMMC and 1199SEIU hold 34th bargaining session since the Union was elected in August of 2022. Conversations continued between the Union and the Medical Center on several provisions, including the benefits program (inclusive of retirement, health and life insurance, and PTO), overtime, shift differentials, and other outstanding issues. No agreement was reached on a contract. The next negotiations session is scheduled for March 22, 2024.

  • March 22, 2024: CMMC and 1199SEIU meet virtually for several hours. The Union agrees to the Medical Center's proposed language governing overtime. While conversations between the parties continue on several other topics and provisions, a full contract agreement was not reached. The next negotiations session is scheduled for Wednesday, March 27.

  • March 27, 2024: Negotiations continue between CMMC and 1199SEIU. The parties reviewed several proposals, but no contract agreement was reached. The next negotiations session is scheduled for April 9.

  • April 9, 2024: CMMC and 1199SEIU meet again. Unfortunately, these discussions were unproductive as the union chose theatrics over substance in levying baseless claims and false accusations at management. For more than a year and a half, CMMC has attempted to negotiate with the union in good faith, but the union has yet to agree on proposals consistently put forth by management. The entrenched position taken by the union continues to delay any meaningful progress towards reaching a fair and equitable agreement that best serves our nurses and patients. The next negotiations session is scheduled for April 23.

  • April 23, 2024: CMMC and 1199SEIU meet but, similar to other recent meetings, these discussions unfortunately were unproductive. The Union distributed misinformation to CMMC nurses regarding the Medical Center’s PTO/Leaves proposal. CMMC simply requested that Paid Time Off (PTO) continue to be provided pursuant to policy and there never was any suggestion that the Medical Center was going to “eliminate nurses’ PTO” as was falsely claimed by the Union in communications to nurses. While CMMC has attempted to negotiate with the Union in good faith for more than a year and a half, 1199SEIU inexplicably continues to complicate and delay any meaningful progress. The next negotiations session is scheduled for May 15.

  • May 9, 2024: 1199SEIU buses in members largely from New York City to picket Clara Maass Medical Center. Statement Re: 1199SEIU Picketing
  • May 15, 2024: CMMC and 1199SEIU meet virtually. Although no agreement was reached, conversations between the Medical Center and 1199SEIU continued around several provisions, including collaborative staffing, management rights, benefits and PTO. The next negotiations session is scheduled for May 29.

  • June 12, 2024: Negotiations continue between CMMC and 1199SEIU. The Medical Center and 1199SEIU have reached tentative agreements on 19 articles and continue to make progress on the few outstanding issues. CMMC remains committed to continuing to negotiate in good faith with 1199SEIU.