Nurses ask for federal mediator in contract talks

Contract negotiations between a nurses union and Northern Montana Medical Group have been put on hold until a federal mediator can enter the process.

"We got three more tentative agreements and are going to ask for a federal mediator," Raymond Berg, labor relations specialist for the Montana Nurses Association, said today.

The second round of negotiations was held Thursday.

Butte attorney Don Robinson, who is negotiating for the hospital, said a mediator may or may not help the talks.

"It's hard to say what effect the presence of a mediator will have. Hopefully he will be able to help," Robinson said.

The nurses, who have been working without a contract since their last contract expired Nov. 30, have 28 proposals up for negotiation, Berg said. The negotiators have only reached tentative agreement on four, he said, and thus decided to seek a mediator. The four have to do with pay differentials.

Robinson said the hospital's positions on the remaining proposals are firm, but everything is on the table and open to negotiation.

Six of the proposals the sides have not reached agreement on have to do with medical leave, and another deals with family medical leave, Berg said. Other issues include the pay scale in general.

"The serious issues haven't even been talked about yet," Berg said.

Northern Montana Hospital has the lowest pay scale of any of the 13 Montana hospitals where the the union represents nurses, Berg said.

"It's at the bottom of the bucket," he said.

Northern pays $4.07 an hour less than the average of the 13 hospitals for starting nurses, and as much as $5.51 an hour less than some hospitals for nurses with 20 years of experience, according to the union.

Berg said he was waiting for a call from the mediator, Andrew Hall of Seattle, to schedule the next meeting.

The mediator can make suggestions to each side but his advice is nonbinding.

The nurses have not shown interest in going on strike, but want to continue the negotiations, Berg said.

"We're following the course of action," he said.

Under federal law, the local of the nurses union would have to give 10 days' notice before going on strike, Berg said.

Robinson said the problems the hospital has vary with the different proposals. For instance, some would be too costly to the hospital and others would create problems in scheduling.

"There are some of them that are of considerable concern," he said.