On Tuesday, December 8, 2009, your KMC/SBBHC negotiating team met with management to try to work out a final agreement.  As you know from our previous Updates, the issues are primarily economic.  Several wage proposals were made by the St. Barnabas team and after 8 hours, the parties agreed to end the session so that management could run the numbers on our last proposal.  We are sincerely trying, and we hope, to be able to come to you before the holidays with an agreement that is satisfactory to you.

The major issues are that under management’s proposal you will miss a raise that would normally have been paid in August 2009, and our efforts to reduce the period of time you have to wait for the next raise, and to get raises for per diems.  We are also trying to improve upon the $500 “one-shot” bonus they are offering for January 2010.  While we understand that some people like to get a bit of cash in their hands, it is obviously better to have a bonus rolled into your base pay so that you continue to have it paid out to you as part of your wages year after year.  Our last proposal was to do both of these for you: part in bonus and part rolled into salary.  

We are also trying to get language for you that protects your right to use workshop days for the two days that are often necessary for the various certifications and re-certifications, not just one day.  


Please know that your team is working hard and wants the best possible contract for you. We will keep you updated.

Your 2009 KMC/SBBHC Negotiating Team