8/5 Bargaining Update
Video update: https://youtu.be/YNM25Ykz4lw
Econ summary: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HkZFPC2r4Bg80lmrAR9wNGE0CkRO5GzeTfkXk2UpObM/edit?usp=sharing
Non-econ summary: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MURBLj0XNkLx7g1eoq2l2TJTL5ZdWy5nGNZs1W2oGFY/edit?usp=sharing
At the recommendation of the mediator, we spent time today explaining the key components of our compensation proposal, and Allina shared the key components of their compensation proposal in a shared meeting.
While our list of components is similar to the employer’s, it is the philosophy underlying our proposals that appears to differ significantly. We reiterated that in our proposals we have set a base salary high enough to represent a fair income for the overall work we perform, with that base salary being set above the rate paid on average production for the same contact hours. The salary being set above average production provides compensation for the panel management/inbox work outside of patient contact hours necessary to provide excellent primary care. Additionally, a fair salary allows for true paid time off, in which taking sick time or vacation time does not result in a decrease in annual pay. Our proposal continues to include the opportunity to earn a production bonus for those who produce above a specific target. Allina’s proposal on the other hand continues to offer a base salary, but because the average producer would quickly outpace this base salary, it is in essence a production model. Therefore, in Allina’s proposal taking sick time or vacation time would result in a net decrease in pay annually, just as it does currently.
By afternoon Allina had a response to one component of our economic proposal, some changes to the technical process of how production earnings draws are set and disbursed. Allina is now proposing the draw rate be mandated at 90% of anticipated production earnings with an unclear process to adjust this in individual circumstances if production is anticipated to change (e.g. leave of absence planned).
We proposed a package to the employer allowing the Employer to have individual employment agreements with providers (something Allina continues to state is necessary regarding for example intellectual property rights), but with the clarity that those individual agreements are superseded by the collective bargaining agreement regarding matters covered in the union contract.
We also submitted a packaged counter proposal dropping our prior request for security guards to be onsite at clinics open past 5pm in exchange for language protecting our urgent care providers’ ability to appropriately cap patient numbers prior to closing, maintaining current numbers of templated sites, and number of weekend shifts.
We did achieve a tentative agreement with Allina on our article defining full time and part time status, notably something that should have been easy to achieve in the early months of these negotiations.
We continue to work with the mediator and are continuing to find ways to amend our proposals in an effort to move towards a final contract. However, Allina continues to make minimal changes and has yet to provide a counterproposal that truly provides recognition of the growing burden of administrative work we are doing outside of our patient contact hours, true paid time off (that would not result in a decrease in annual income). We are eager to work towards finalizing our contract but need to see meaningful progress from the employer on these critical issues. We meet again on August 20th. While we continue to work with the mediator and hope for progress, if we do not see meaningful progress, we continue to have the ability to call a strike given our prior strike authorization vote.
Remember wearing your Doctor’s Council union blue in clinic, badge buttons included is a great way to show the employer your support for our work on the contract! You can also affirm your support for the strike authorization here: https://form.jotform.com/251803636089159. FAQ about a potential strike is here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ct-SVH_OtkmLxWa8w2QF-GAtt_BAwjqmgT7LW338Nnk/edit?usp=sharing
