Whoa. Snow.

Holy Toledo! How much is it going to snow this year? SHARE reps have had lots of conversations recently about the hospital's severe weather policy. The full policy is posted below. The shortest summary is probably this: "All employees are expected to report to work, unless the severe weather plan in their department allows them to stay home."

Please take good care when making decisions about traveling in extreme weather. Also, please contact us if you have questions, or would like help to develop a plan in your own department.
Severe Weather
UMass Memorial is an essential community service and as such will continue its operations without regard to weather conditions. However, UMass Memorial and SHARE recognize that severe weather conditions can interfere with the ability of employees to come to work, and agree to the following:

Staffing plans

The CNO, CMO, Hospital President and Vice-Presidents are responsible for developing a fair and equitable staffing plan to ensure continued essential services, and for informing employees of staffing and attendance requirements.

In order for employees to know what their responsibilities are in the case of severe weather, departments are encouraged to develop plans for their areas within the framework of the hospital plan described above. Employees are encouraged to participate in the development of the plan for their department. Department severe weather plans could include: what staffing level is required in the case of severe weather (such as full staffing, skeletal staffing, or no staffing necessary); how employees will find out if they are required to be at work that day, who to call and how to reach them; and whether there is a difference in their department between the plan for severe weather and the plan for a declared state of emergency. Department managers should review the severe weather plan for their department with all employees annually before winter weather begins.

All employees are expected to report to work, unless the severe weather plan in their department allows them to stay home.

Staying at work

Employees who are working during severe weather conditions are expected to work through the end of their assigned work shift unless they are excused earlier. In extreme situations, employees may be required to work beyond the end of their normal scheduled work shift if the manager determines it necessary to meet patient care and operational needs. SHARE overtime rules will apply.

Department closing, early dismissal
If a department is closed for all or part of the day due to severe weather, employees may go home (see pay for missed hours) or choose to report to/remain at work. The hospital may assign people who stay at work to perform different functions than their normal job. For a work assignment in an area other than your own, page the nursing supervisor/bed management: for the University campus, pager #2044; for the Memorial campus (on evenings, nights, weekends and holidays) pager #3318.

Grace period for late arrivals
The office of the CEO or his/her designee may establish a paid grace period for arriving late to work. The length of the grace period will be based on the severity of the weather conditions.

Pay for missed hours

Other than late arrivals covered by an established grace period, employees who miss all or part of their work shift may use earned, vacation or personal time, or choose to go unpaid for the hours they missed. When appropriate, an employee may make up the time that week, by mutual consent between the employee and the supervisor. Made up hours will be paid at straight time unless weekly hours total more than 40.

Excused and unexcused absences
If an employee does not work because the department is closed, or because they are not required to come to work, it will be considered an excused absence. Late arrivals covered by an established grace period will be considered an excused absence. Other absences from work on a severe weather day will be considered unexcused.

Transportation

When severe weather makes travel unsafe, or in a state of emergency, transportation assistance may be available. Requests for assistance should be directed to the nursing supervisor/bed management: for the University campus, pager #2044; for the Memorial campus (on evenings, nights, weekends and holidays) pager #3318. When necessary, communication with external bodies such as the National Guard and ambulance carriers will be coordinated through these offices.

Information Meeting in Barre

One more update for the Information Meeting Schedule: we'll have a lunchtime gathering on September 1st from noon to 1pm at Barre Family Health Center.

Contract Negotiations & Information Meetings

SHARE enters contract negotiations with hospital management this week. We'll have an ongoing series of information meetings to keep you up-to-date. This week there will be meetings at the following locations:

• CBO 5th floor conference room: Tuesday (8/9), noon-1pm
• Memorial conference room 1: Thursday (8/11), 11:30-1:30

You should receive a postcard in the mail this week listing more of the meetings to come. It looks like this:

We'll add more dates! Keep checking this blog!
<--

SHARE Office Power-Outage

This is just a quick note to let you know that the SHARE office has been without power for the past 36 hours or so. We've contacted the electric company to get the problem fixed. In the meanwhile, our computers, phones, and voicemail system are down. If you or your co-workers have been trying to reach us, we're sorry for the hassle. Hopefully this will be fixed this afternoon. Email is probably the best way to reach us right now, since we can check that remotely. Thank you . . . 

Even More College Scholarship Opportunities . . .

are available to SHARE members through the AFL-CIO "Union Plus" progam. Click here for details.

College Scholarship Opportunities

The SHARE office recently received announcements about two scholarship opportunities for our members. Both scholarships are open to children and grandchildren of SHARE members who will be graduating from high school this Spring, and attending college in the Fall 2011.

• The Central Massachusetts AFL/CIO Scholarship Award -- Five $1000 scholarships, plus several $500 awards, to be drawn by lottery. (Submission deadline May 1, 2011) We posted previously about this scholarhip on our blog here.
• The 14th Annual AFSCME Council 93 M. Michael Botelho Scholarship Award -- $1000 Scholarship. Applicant must complete a 500-750 word essay entitled "Unions have been important to my family because . . ." (Submission deadline June 1, 2011) 

For full details, please call the SHARE office (508-929-4020). Please provide your mailing address or fax number in order for us to send them to you, along with a phone number where we may contact you. 

Update: Information Meeting at the CBO

We have secured a room in the Guaranty Bank Building for our Information Meeting at the Central Business Office!

The meeting will be Monday, April 25th from noon to 1:30.  We'll be in the 4th Floor Conference Room.

SHARE Information Meetings, beginning THURSDAY

Over the weekend, the following announcement postcard went out to all SHARE members at UMass Memorial. Please note that our first Information Meeting is this Thursday at the University campus.

If you do not receive a postcard in your home mailbox this week and would like to verify your address with us, please give us a call (508-929-4020). Thanks!

Remembering Chris

A Celebration of Chris Flynn’s Life

 

Chris Flynn lived an amazing life, touching many of us profoundly. We are mourning our loss, and our hearts go out to her family.

We imagine Chris would tell us to dry our eyes, grab our friends by the hands, and remember her with love and humor. So that’s what we’re planning to do.

We invite you to drop by for a few minutes, share favorite stories about Chris, have a cup of coffee, and write something in her Memory Book.

Memorial Campus

Tuesday, March 29          2-4pm       Memorial 1 conference room (1st floor, near the cafeteria)

University Campus

Wednesday, March 30      2-4pm     University campus (Endosurgery Conference Room, H1-776, administrative corridor)

SHARE Fun Facts #1

2697 UMass Memorial Hospital employees are represented by SHARE.

70 feathers can be found, per square inch, on the average penguin.

5.627 meters (or 18 ft 5.54 in) is the longest recorded hair length on a human.

188 UMass Memorial Hospital job titles are represented by SHARE.

In Support of Collective Bargaining

SHARE and friends on Beacon Hill

[click photo for larger image]

SHARE staff organizers past and present joined with sister organizations HUCTW and TEA among those at Tuesday's State House rally to support collective bargaining in Wisconsin and beyond.

Photo credit goes to former SHARE organizer Janet Wilder. (And look, too! Will's little girl Hannah is getting big!)

Correction: Friendly Flu Shot/Declination Reminder

Hi all: one more reminder, since the deadline for getting a shot (or signing a declination form) is approaching fast.

The deadline is February 22nd!

Some of you have asked why the hospital has expressed such urgency about this. UMMMC is required by the Department of Health to report on those who have had the flu shot and those who have decided not to. The hospital plans to issue Written Warnings to anyone who has not provided documentation by the 22nd. Be sure to cover yourself: if you don't plan to get a shot, or you plan to get one after the deadline, don't forget to sign a declination form.

Please see our previous post for more details.

Central Mass AFL/CIO College Scholarship

The SHARE office recently received a notice in the mail from Joe Carlson, the President of the Central Massachusetts AFL/CIO, about a really great scholarship opportunity for our members. The lottery for these scholarships will be open to children and grandchildren of our members and any members themselves who will graduate from high school this year and attend college next year. The details we received are posted below. If you would like a copy of the nomination form, please contact the SHARE office (508-929-4020).

To: All Affilliate Locals of the Central Mass AFL/CIO.

We are pleased to announce that we will be awarding five $1,000.00 scholarships as well as a number of $500 Platinum sponsored scholarships.

The scholarship recipients will be drawn by lottery at the May community services committee meeting and the winners will be announced at the Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament on Friday, June 3, 2011.

The scholarships will be presented at the Labor Day breakfast September 5, 2011

To be eligible, the student must be a 2011 graduating high school senior going on to college and a child, grandchild, or member whose local is affiliated with the Central MA AFL/CIO. Union members must live or work in the jurisdiction of the MA AFL/CIO.

All names must be submitted by May 1, 2011 and returned to:

Paul Soucy

AFL/CIO Labor Community Services

Central Ma. AFL-CIO

400 Washington St

Auburn MA 01501

Friendly Flu Shot Reminder

By now you've probably all seen the email from Jeffrey Stevens, the hospital's Vice President for Human Resources, regarding flu shots. This is just a reminder, since the deadline for getting a shot (or signing a declination form) is approaching fast: February 28th. If you missed that message, here are the important logistical details, copied from his email . . .

*****

First and foremost, if you have not yet had a flu vaccination, plan to do it today. Cases of the flu are being diagnosed in our region daily. Flu vaccinations are available at Medical Center Employee Health Services offices. No appointment is required.

• 210 Lincoln Street, weekdays, 7 am to 5 pm (free parking right in front of building, stop in coming or going from work)
• Memorial Campus, MB-2024, weekdays, 7 am to 4 pm
• University Campus, HB-376, weekdays, 7 am to 4 pm

If you chose not to have a vaccination, then you must complete a “declination” form. Link to it here or find it on the OurNet flu pages. Complete the information at the top and sign the third box on the page. Drop the form off at one of the Employee Health Services offices or fax to 508-793-6410.

If you had a flu shot other than at one of our Employee Flu Shot Clinics or at Employee Health Services, you also need to complete this same form, filling in and signing the fourth box on the page.

Because of the importance of having the flu vaccination, this year we are making vaccination or completion of the “declination” mandatory for all Medical Center employees, much as we do for tuberculosis testing. This means that, as a condition of employment, you must either be vaccinated or complete the “declination” by the February 28.

If you have questions, please speak with your manager.

*****

. . . and, if you need to talk with a SHARE representative about this, please contact us.