Business & Tech
L+M Ends Lockout—But Without An Agreement With Workers
The nearly 800 locked out nurses and healthcare technicians will return to work on Thursday after 17 days of being off the job. But, despite lengthy negotiations, the hospital administration and AFT Union still haven't arrived at an agreement.
On December 19, Lawrence + Memorial's locked out nurses and healthcare technicians will return to work.
On December 17, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital agreed to end its lockout of the nearly 800 AFT healthcare union workers who had held a four-day strike in late November. However, after lengthy negotiations, the union and hospital administrators still haven't reached an agreement.
There are always two sides to a story. So here is the official statement from L+M president and from the ATF's official spokesman.
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Statement from Bruce D. Cummings, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital
After 16 bargaining sessions over three months; and, after an additional negotiation marathon that began last Saturday at 1 p.m. and continued until 10 p.m. Sunday night, the parties simply could not reach a mutual agreement on the terms of a new contract.
L+M submitted a revised last, best and final offer to the union on Sunday, December 15, at 6 p.m., but it was rejected by the union on December 16. We had hoped that the union would at least bring the Hospital’s last, best and final offer to a vote, but it has refused to do so.
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Therefore, this evening (December 17), I made the decision to have the Hospital unilaterally lift the lockout of our RNs and LPN/techs effective 6:45 a.m. Thursday, December 19. We want our staff back doing what they do best and for which they are so needed: caring for patients and serving the community.
It has been difficult to see our valued co-workers on the street or otherwise away from their jobs since a strike against the Hospital commenced on Wednesday, November 27.
It was painful for us to invoke a lock-out in response to the union representatives’ threat to hold future intermittent strikes.
In the absence of a definitive new contract, we believe the decision to unilaterally lift the lockout and warmly welcome all staff back is the best gesture we can make during this holiday season, both for those who left, as well as those who remained. It is unquestionably in the best interest of our patients and of our community.
We still hope that the Hospital’s offer will be ratified by the membership, but until such time as a new contract is ratified, the Hospital will abide by the terms and conditions of the prior contract. I would like to acknowledge that this has been a very difficult period in this Hospital’s 101-year history and has caused significant hardship for all parties involved. But I am hopeful that we will eventually emerge from this experience a stronger organization with a greater appreciation for the contributions all make to delivering – or supporting the delivery – of high quality, patient-centered care.
Statement from AFT Union Spokesman Matt O'Connor
After 17 days of public pressure, representatives of L&M Corporation tonight informed our negotiating committee that they will lift their unlawful lockout of nearly 800 caregivers at L&M Hospital.Nurses and healthcare techs are declaring their unconditional return to work beginning Thursday, Dec. 19 at 6:45 a.m. a victory in their fight for quality patient care. The unilateral decision by hospital administrators is a public acknowledgement of what the community has been saying throughout this ordeal; that their acute care facility cannot fulfill its mission of "caring for the whole region" without its whole skilled, professional workforce.
Talks that resumed Saturday and continued over the past four days failed to produce a negotiated settlement to the end of the patient care delivery issues at the heart of the dispute.
While not realized, our members remain committed to a mutual settlement on the transfer of services that assures community access to quality care and that is provided by skilled professionals. Our nurses and health techs still believe that it is possible, and preferable, to simply relying on the U.S. legal system to resolve the matter.
Members of our unions will be working under the terms of their contracts that expired on November 16 when the illegal lockout ends on Thursday. For now, they are preparing to return to work in two days to care for their patients. They will do so knowing that their resolve is stronger than ever, thanks in large part to the tremendous support from the community they serve
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