Arbitrator Awards D.C. Nurses Association Wage Increases in Bargaining Impasse with DC Department of Mental Health
Monday, April 29, 2013
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)The
DC Department of Mental Health was ordered last week to adopt the D.C.
Nurses Association’s wage proposals for the 2013 and 2014 fiscal years.
Arbitrator Sean Rogers concluded that DCNA’s proposals – a 2% raise
effective
October 1, 2012 and a 3% raise, effective October 1, 2013 – would assist in
alleviating
the serious and “arguably chronic” recruitment and retention problems
within
the Department. The Department had proposed no wage increase for FY 2013
and only a 2% increase for FY 2014. The “decision provides some hope that we
can attract and retain qualified and experienced nurses to care for people in
our community,” said Shirley Jackson, a registered nurse working in the
Department’s emergency psychiatric program, and Chairperson of DCNA/DMH.
Edward
J. Smith, Esq., Staff Attorney for DCNA, also applauded the decision, saying
that “after not receiving wage increases since 2008 and having step increases
eliminated for a year without bargaining, we are able to provide some relief to
hard-working registered nurses who care for the neediest of District citizens,
the mentally and physically unstable.” The District is required to submit the
contract and arbitrator’s award to the D.C. Council within sixty days for
review. The contract will expire in September 2014 and will now require almost
immediate bargaining over Fiscal Year 2015 and beyond. DCNA represents
approximately 200 registered nurses employed in the Department of Mental
Health, with over 170 working at St. Elizabeths Hospital. DCNA, an
affiliate of the National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, also represents 2000 health
care professionals in the District of Columbia.
- photo: DCNA at the 2013 DC Emancipation
Day
Parade; photo by Korey Hartwich