For the fifth time in the past year, the United Health Professionals of New Mexico division of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has rejected UNM Hospital’s offer to negotiate a contract on behalf of the regular employees it seeks to represent who work at UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center – A Campus of UNM Hospital (SRMC).
In a proposal sent to AFT on August 21, 2024, UNM Hospital asked for the following:
- Resume bargaining for regular employees as AFT had agreed to do in January 2024, including bargaining regarding a wage increase.
- Bargaining regarding PRN employees will be deferred until a NM District Court judge rules whether or not PRN employees should be included in the bargaining unit, as AFT had agreed in January 2024.
- AFT will cease future communications that factually misrepresent the situation.
"What we are asking for is very common sense and what our expectations are of all unions at UNM Hospital. We want this union leadership to meet us at the bargaining table. That is the only way collective bargaining agreements are reached. Agreements cannot be reached by one party simply announcing they have agreed to an offer that has not been made," said Kate Becker, CEO, UNM Hospital.
However, the following day, an attorney representing AFT notified UNM Hospital that the union rejected the offer, instead again demanding to include within negotiations PRN employees who cannot be represented by law.
Earlier this month, UNM Hospital announced wage increases for all non-union employees and reached collectively bargained agreements for wage increases for all employees represented by several unions:
- National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees District 1199NM Licensed & Technical Staff
- National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees District 1199NM Support Staff
- Communications Workers of America (CWA)
- Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA)
- International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) working at SRMC
- Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR)
Based on the disputed scope of bargaining, the employees AFT seeks to represent have not yet received a wage increase.
This latest round of wage increases that UNM Hospital employees received is the second time this year UNM Hospital and SRMC employees (except those AFT seeks to represent) have seen an increase in their pay. In January and February all hospital employees enjoyed wage increases, including the clinical staff AFT seeks to represent. However, after UNM Hospital increased wages for that group, AFT’s leadership filed a complaint with the state’s labor board alleging the hospital committed a prohibited practice by providing a wage increase that was not bargained for and agreed to.
Using AFT’s own logic, in order for this employee group to see an increase in their pay, the union’s leadership must meet UNM Hospital at the bargaining table. The union cannot simply announce an agreement on wages prior to negotiations being held.
"These clinical employees at SRMC are so deserving of these wage increases. We very much encourage their union representatives to meet us at the bargaining table so that we can work out a contract for the regular employees of the hospital," said Jamie Silva-Steele, RN, BSN, MBA, FACHE President; UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center - A Campus of UNM Hospital.
New Mexico law states “regular non-probationary” public employees are entitled to organize and engage in union activities. AFT wishes to include PRN employees in its membership group; however, PRN employees are freelance temporary workers and not “regular” employees as defined by law. Both parties continue to wait for a New Mexico District Court ruling on this issue.
