EMPLOYER REFUSES TO MEET THE COST CONTAINMENT COMMITTEE

In regards to the Cost Containment Committee meeting on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2007, I was dumbfounded and appalled by the amateurish action displayed by the hospital attorney and the managers he represents. They refused to meet the Cost Containment Committee unless Paula Macchello, our chairperson, stepped out. They supposed claims were ‘assault and racist charges’ on her by Fairview Hospital.

I question their timing and motives on casting Paula as 'a racist' at a time when she is defending a group of members against racist actions by Children Hospital’s management.

It is also highly suspecting that Paula is accused of ‘assault and threatening assault’, almost immediately after an investigatory meeting where she questioned the Fairview Riverside management about their aggressive behaviors to our members there. 

When will management stop making tainted allegations on people defending us? What does all of this have to do with health plan design change? 

I can only imagine that these accusations are meant as a diversion to take the focus off their own behaviors and from what we were trying to accomplish through the Cost Containment Committee?

It is unacceptable that management is determining who chairs the Union at the Cost Containment Committee meetings?  I can only wonder if Paula's accomplishments are causing too much discomfort for them? Were we getting close to achieving real healthcare cost savings?  What are they hiding from us?

They have constantly denied us information we’ve requested. It is embarrassing that management is resorting to such unprofessional low-tactics and denying us basic information, which could actually result in savings for all.  It appears to me, judging from their behavior toward Paula, that what matters most to them is not finding savings for us all but protecting secrets from each other. When will this twisted game playing end? 

The Cost Containment Committee is our CONTRACTUAL RIGHT to improve our benefits.

It’s simply outrageous that an unjustified allegation by one facility can bring to a total stop the general good that could be accomplished.  We cannot allow management to take away our civil rights.  In this country, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty.  Without that proof, it is unacceptable that management is denying our meetings, and shocking for them to demand Paula’s removal as our chair. 

The strength of a union lies in the fact that an injustice to one of us is an injustice to all of us.  It is only through unity that we become strong. Together we can stop them and bring back their focus to what's most important to us – our healthcare.

When those who have responsibilities over us distort one truth to hide another, then each of us has a duty to stand up and demand that the truth be told. 

Lori Theim-Busch, Union Steward

NMHC Cost Containment Committee  Representative