NOVAdvocates
P O Box 141
Newton, NJ 07860
Email
DISCLAIMER: This website is strictly the opinion of the members of NOVAdvocates and we have not received any assistance from the hospital or outside sources.
DISCLAIMER: This website is strictly the opinion of the members of NOVAdvocates and we have not received any assistance from the hospital or outside sources.
Our Mission
NOVAdvocates is about using our own voices and the policies already established in our hospital to mediate issues at work. If an issue remains unresolved than we will use the resources available to us in the form of governing agencies. We believe firmly and adamantly this can be accomplished without paying a third party our hard earned money to speak for us!
Within the past year HPAE (Health Professional and Allied Employees) union, 'won' the right to bargain for the RN's by a mere 10 votes. Despite our grass roots anti-union campaign, we were unable to share with enough colleagues our past negative experiences with unions and they, HPAE, are now representing the RN's. However, we feel the tide is changing and despite the fact HPAE is now bargaining for us, we have hope that another vote would go against keeping the union.
Once we have reached a year of negotiations without a contract, we can submit a petition to the National Labor Relations Board to re-vote on whether we want HPAE to stay or return in good faith to our Administration. NOVA members firmly believe in our Administration and Board of Directors. In this day when hospitals are closing throughout New Jersey, we are here and apparently enticing enough for other hospitals to look at us for potential mergers.
We have changed our venue from just RN’s to include all healthcare professionals. During all this controversy about the Registered Nurses, we feel all our non-nursing colleagues have suffered. Yes, they get a raise when we didn't (a decision made solely by the negotiating committee) but if the union stays they will also attempt to unionize them. In a wall-to-wall contract, (where multi-level incomes are under the same contract), lower level income employee will pay larger percentages for the same benefits.
Ultimately, we hope and pray that all our colleagues, who have approached us with dismay that the union is here, will sign the petition to re-vote to rid our hospital of HPAE!
Recent Events
Despite many requests from NOVAdvocates and other non-union RN's, the union, HPAE, (recently decertified at our hospital), will not remove us as one of their locals from their website. This reinforces why we do not believe in unions with their willingness to mislead with incorrect information.
Final Paperwork Just In!
.jpg)
(click for PDF version)
As of today we are waiting for the official letter from the NLRB that the union has had no objections to the final vote. We will then be able to move forward.
On October 28, Newton Memorial Hospital nurses voted out the HPAE union as their bargaining representatives 157 to 104! This definitely indicates more of an informed vote than the mere 10-vote difference last year. We want to acknowledge our colleagues who worked hard at the negotiating table and will pay heed to the issues that were presented. We also look forward to working together with all RN's and administration to grow stronger with our collective voices!
VOTE!
October 27th & 28th at Newton Memorial Hospital
Pavilion Conference
Rooms 1 & 2
5:30am to 8:00am,
12:00noon to 2:00pm
and
6:00pm to 8:30pm the first day
5:30am to 8:00am the second day
Visit our newly renovated pages!
Today Novadvocates have successfully filed a petition to re-vote to potentially decertify HPAE as our bargaining representatives! Both the hospital and the union have been notified. We encourage every RN to get informed rather than be coerced or blindsided as in the last vote.
HPAE members from Newton Memorial Hospital claim (per their web page), "Our Negotiating Committee has never, in any way, indicated to management that we have any intent to strike." Perhaps they should look at the record of the union they chose to sign with...
HPAE STRIKE HISTORY
1976 – 6 days at Englewood Hospital
1977 – 41 days at Pascack Valley
1979 – 70 days at Pascack Valley
1980 – 98 days at Englewood Hospital (one of the longest strikes in NJ history)
1993 – 96 days at Jersey Shore Medical Center
2006 – 5 weeks at Englewood Hospital
2009 – 3-day lockout based on HPAE strike notice at Bayonne Medical Center
2009 – lockout based on HPAE failure to withdraw the strike notice at Englewood Hospital
In a recent full-page ad in the NJ Herald, the union claims the "management just stalls..." worse, they brag about preparing for a strike, scaring patients and putting the community on edge. That ad is the first NOVAdvocates has heard about strike preparations so it appears to us HPAE is, in fact, guilty of their own accusations!
However, the union did give 30 days notice and called in a federal mediator, so yes, indeed, they can call a strike! Based on these events, we believe the hospital administration would be justified in strike preparation planning, in order to provide safe continuing care for our community.
We hope we can file for decertification prior to the union calling a strike but if not, NOVAdvocates and other non-union RN'S will be there continuing to provide excellent care to our community.
On one last note: did anyone notice on HPAE's web page that they actually used the real name for the cards they were having everyone sign under the pretense of a 'payroll deduction card' and we quote, "Congratulations to everyone who has signed a Union Membership Card." Remember, if you signed this card on false pretense (or not false pretenses), you can resign your membership at any time.
In a recent mailing to the RN's from HPAE, they claim a strike could not be called "without an overwhelming vote of the RN's at NMH." We wonder if that would be the same 'overwhelming' number that turned down the 2% raise and voted in an illegal constitution.
It has also come to our attention that they are using the age-old union tactic of having RN's sign membership cards claiming that they are needed for payroll deduction of dues. They are not needed and even if you have signed one, you can still sign a petition to re-vote!
Someone continues to attempt to mute our voices. In addition to the attempt to stop us from receiving our mail, we are now receiving threatening letters. This saddens us to see the hatred, as we just want a re-vote where all the RN's are informed rather than misled.
In an attempt to derail our campaign, the union has placed a 'Hold Mail" on our post office box. We are continually amazed at their less than stellar campaign tactics.
A police report has been filed and we are looking into federal charges.