Workplace Violence Prevention Forum

By the end of last week’s panel discussion on Workplace Violence Prevention, a few takeaways were very clear:
  1. Workplace violence is up, the rates are especially high in hospitals, and our hospital is no exception.
  2. The executive leadership of UMass Memorial is very actively working on solutions.
  3. Our hospital needs to enlist much more help from frontline employees to make significant improvements.

Of course, in the many areas where SHARE members work, workplace violence is a big, broad, serious subject. The panel brought together experts from our hospital and medical school who spoke to the spectrum of issues. Not every question led to a clear answer. UMass Memorial President Patrick Muldoon concluded the event by noting that the efforts so far are only a beginning.

University Campus Police Chief John Luippold praised caregivers, and encouraged us to recognize all that UMass Memorial employees do already to get patients home safely, consistently, day after day. Luippold also emphasized that all employees should trust their gut if they sense that something is out of the ordinary.

Dr. Sheldon Benjamin, Interim Chair of the UMMS Department of Psychiatry, elaborated on that idea. He explained that extremely important for caregivers to remove themselves from a situation that seems potentially dangerous, and then get help. As he put it: the main job of a caregiver is to stay able to help others.

Over 100 audience members attended, including many hospital and medical school leaders. Afterward, SHARE Co-President Rita Caputo remarked: The panel had so much information!  But not a lot of the kind of information that we can use at work. She’s looking forward to events where employees share their experiences, and help innovate new solutions.
How to Help with Violence Prevention
If you work in areas that experience violent patients, or “lateral” employee-on-employee bullying, then the Workplace Violence Working Group would particularly like to include you in their efforts. (To inquire or become involved, contact Sharon Gaynor, Senior Director of Employee Health, or Dr. Maria Michas, Employee Health Medical Director.)

You can also ready yourself for difficult situations by enrolling in the hospital’s Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Program, provided by the Crisis Prevention Institute. SHARE members who have already taken the course have said that they found it really helpful.
What’s Being Done Now?
The panel described a number of initiatives and procedures that are already in place to provide help, including:
  • The hospital’s Workplace Violence Working Group, which currently consists of 59 members.
  • Installation of over 300 “panic buttons” at strategic places throughout the institution.
  • Legislation such as Elise’s Law--named in honor of the nurse from Harrington Hospital who was recently assaulted by a patient--which pressures hospitals to increase security.  
To Report Incidents of Violence
To report incidents of violence, or potential violence, please call:
  • Off Campus: 911
  • University Campus Police: 6-3296
  • Memorial/Hahnemann Campus Police: 4-8568
  • Employee Health: 3-6400

Read more about the Workplace Violence Prevention forum in News & Views. Soon we hope report about how to watch the event yourself online, using on-demand video. More to come . . .

New SHARE Rep Training

Sixteen SHARE Representatives from throughout the UMass Memorial system completed the most recent New Rep Training course. The course is designed to provide an overview of our union and the ways that Reps build community and help their co-workers. Along the way, we traded a lot of stories about different work areas. 




The curriculum introduces a number of topics, including:

  • Who's in SHARE
  • SHARE's place in the labor movement
  • Using the SHARE Contract 
  • Building the union membership and cultivating community
  • Interest-Based Negotiating Methods
  • What happens in Contract Negotiations
  • Why SHARE focuses on system improvement
  • Unit-Based Teams, and other ways of engaging members in decision making
  • Labor-Management Partnership
  • Problem-Solving, including the Disciplinary Process

As we considered what's ahead for our union, the new Reps talked enthusiastically. And there were many funny moments. Afterward, Christean Hughes, a Medical Billing Specialist at 306 Belmont Street, said, "I loved it. I think everyone in our union should get to go to a meeting like that." We're lucky to have this new group of Reps, and are looking forward to more together.  

Workplace Violence Discussion this Friday

According to OSHA statistics, healthcare workers are four times more likely than employees in private industry to encounter workplace violence, and the rates are increasing. Patient care poses unique challenges, and many SHARE members are at increased risk.
To address the concerns in our hospital, a Workplace Violence Panel Discussion will be held this Friday, July 28, noon to 1 pm, in Amphitheatre III, on the University Campus. (The panel discussion will also be broadcast in the Memorial Campus Amphitheater and  in the Hahnemann Campus, 2nd Floor Conference Room, and recorded for on-demand viewing.)
Getting free from work responsibilities can be hectic--especially while navigating the busy lunchtime elevators and finding something to eat; managers are being encouraged to provide coverage to ensure that front-line employees from many areas can attend.
If you would like to come and learn more about how to curb the violence, and the ways that our hospital is addressing the problem, please talk with your supervisor or manager.
To reach Amphitheatre III from the main UMMS entrance, take a left at the main corridor and take the second right to locate the elevators. Take the elevator to either the 6th or 7th floor and follow posted signs to the entrance.


SHARE Career Development Workshops

Feeling confident?
Come to the Interview Skills Workshop
to hone your strengths
The first workshops of the new SHARE Career Development Series are on the books. Sign up now! These are designed to help SHARE members advance their skills and their careers at UMass Memorial. The workshops are being organized by the SHARE-UMass Memorial Workforce Planning Partnership Committee, created in our most recent contract negotiations.

 The sessions will provide strategies, tips, and resources for maximizing your strengths as an internal candidate. We encourage you to register in advance to ensure your place in the workshop, although walk-ins will be welcome if there are empty seats. To Register, visit EL4U (additional instructions for first-time users below).

 The following sessions are open for registration:
RESUME DEVELOPMENT
*Articulate your skills and work history, and put your best foot forward in the application process. Gain an understanding of different resume formats, effectively market your experience, and avoid pitfalls by learning what should and should not be included in a resume.
University Campus
Thursday, July 20th 12:00-1:00
Goff S2-309C  (Capacity: 25)
Memorial Campus
Tuesday, July 25th 12:00-1:00
Memorial 1 Conference Room (near the cafeteria, toward the ED) (Capacity: 15)
INTERVIEW SKILLS
*Participants will review the steps necessary to prepare for an interview including homework before the meeting, and what to expect during the interview.   Gain confidence answering various types of interview questions, create and practice responses, and learn how to effectively follow up.
Memorial Campus
Tuesday, August 1st 12:00-1:00
Memorial 1 Conference Room  (near the cafeteria, toward the ED) (Capacity: 15)
University Campus
Thursday, August 3rd noon-1:00
Goff S2-309C  (Capacity: 25)
We hope you can join us! And, if you aren’t able to make it to one of these Summertime workshops, there will be more opportunities. In the Fall, we will repeat these topics and include additional Career Planning sessions.


To Register for classes posted in EL4U:
Log In Page  http://healthstream.com/hlc/ummhc
User ID: Employee ID Number

Password: The first time you log in, your password is the same as your User ID; Users are then asked to create a new password
If you have questions, please call the SHARE office (508-929-4020).

2017-2018 SHARE Executive Board and Representatives

SHARE union leaders are elected by SHARE members during annual elections. They work closely with the SHARE organizing staff and work hard to keep our union strong.

The Executive Board (or "EBoard"), including the four officers, makes decisions about the direction of our union, and participates in contract negotiations. They are elected for two-year terms. They have responsibility for the whole union, and each board member is responsible for a few hundred members in their area. 

SHARE Representatives (or "Reps") serve as the contact person for their area. They are elected for one-year terms. There is roughly one Rep for every fifty SHARE members. Some Reps are trained to help co-workers solve problems in the workplace. In addition to the currently-elected Reps, several former Reps and unofficial Reps help members in their area keep up-to-date about current SHARE news, and help their co-workers find helpful SHARE resources.


SHARE Officers

Co-Presidents
Rita Caputo (University)                     PRIMARY CARE CLINIC

Bobbi-Jo Lewis (Memorial)                 SHARE ORGANIZING STAFF

Secretary
Sandra Alafberg                                 BILLING SUPPORT SERVICES

Treasurer
Kathy Girouard                                  HEART & VASC INTVL LAB
SHARE Executive Board
306 Belmont
Sheldon Brown                                  AR DENIAL MGMT TEAM 1
ACC
Sharon Pichierri                                  ORTHOPEDICS CLINIC
Memorial
Nancy Bickford                                   WEST 3
Laura M Welch                                   WOMENS SERVICES UROGYN
Jay Hagan                                          CAT SCAN
University
Tony Martocci                                    CARDIOVASC MED
Debbie Clark                                      ADMISSIONS UNIT
LeDean Buzzell                                   PEDIATRICS ADMINISTRATION
Joel Masley                                        RESPIRATORY THERAPY
WBC
Larry Madden                                    CENTRAL SCHEDULING
SHARE Representatives
306 Belmont
Kate Richardson                                 BILLING SUPPORT SERVICES
Christean Hughes                               CBO A/R
Patty Strait                                         AR DENIAL MGMT TEAM 1
Katie Kornitsky                                  AR DENIAL MGMT TEAM 2
67 Belmont
Cheryl Ferriter                                   SURGERY 67 BELMONT
ACC
Angela Robert                                    CARDIOVASCULAR CLN A CVC
Kellie Morton                                    ONCOLOGY CLINIC
Tammy Berry                                     BREAST CTR SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
Barre
Joanie Pulnik                                      BARRE HEALTH CENTER
Biotech 3
Nicole Ninteau                                   ANPA MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC
Hahnemann
Kelly A Rawlston                                MEDICAL STAFF ADMIN
Wanda Dyer                                      FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC
Eleanor A Beshai                                HAHNEMANN MAMMOGRAPHY
Julie Dingui                                        HAHNEMANN MAMMOGRAPHY
Memorial
Kim Duncan                                       EMERGENCY ROOM
Brichelle Soto Guerrero                     ED REGISTRATION
Adrianna Nathan                               EMERGENCY ROOM
Kim Latrobe                                       SURGICAL VASCULAR LAB
Faye Serafin                                       WOMENS SERVICES REI
Debbie Church                                   MATERNITY-DELIVERY
Nana Kwapong                                  SOUTH 6
Tracy O'Donnell                                 FAMILY MED HOSP PROGRAM
Monique Winston                              SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
Debbie Horgan                                          PALLIATIVE CARE
Christina Sasso                                   PERINATOLOGY
Andrea Caraglior                                RESPIRATORY THERAPY
Leah Berthiaume                               MAMMOGRAPHY
Jessica Joslyn                                     RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC
Claudia Twum                                    RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC
Queen St
David Gogo                                        3 PTC PSYCH NURSING
Tri River
Mary Misiaszek                                  TRI RIVER CLINIC ADMIN
University
Kelly Yuscinsky                                   EMERGENCY ROOM
Tyler Knapp                                       OUTPATIENT REGISTRATION
Denise Savageau-Page                       EMERGENCY ROOM
Sue Maddalena                                  HEART & VASC INTVL LAB
Milka Gonzalez                                  INTERPRETER SERVICES
Sylvia Rodriguez                                 BMTU
Katrina Baer                                       NURSE STAFFING
Betty Maurais                                    LUNG/ALLERGY CENTER
Kona Enders                                      NURSING 3 WEST
Elsa M Benavides                               INTERPRETER SERVICES
Yamilka Velazquez                             INTERPRETER SERVICES
Cathy Gaulin                                      PRESCRIPTION CENTER
Vanessa De Los Santos                       TRANSPLANT CLINIC
April McIntyre                                   SURGERY ADMINISTRATION
Maria Wentworth                              PEDIATRICS ADMINISTRATION
Anita Pratt                                         PEDI ENDO/DIABETES
Nancy Bellantoni                                NEURODIAGNOSTIC CENTER
Luz Gomez                                        NEUROLOGY CLINIC
Tracey Zaczek                                    RESPIRATORY THERAPY
Marie Marley                                     RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Stephanie Pepi                                  TRAUMA SERVICES
David Leveille                                    ANGIOGRAPHY
Brian Cotoni                                      COMMUNICATION CENTER
Jen O'Loughlin                                   CAT SCAN
Rich Leufstedt                                   RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC
WBC
Jennifer Mensah                                CENTRAL SCHEDULING
Nicole Bragg                                      PATIENT ACCESS SVS PRE ARRIVAL
Jackie Brammer                                 CENTRAL SCHEDULING
Susan E. Johnson                               CENTRAL SCHEDULING
Megan Bosworth                               CENTRAL SCHEDULING
                                     

SHARE Union Leadership, 2017-18

SHARE union leaders are elected by SHARE members during annual elections. They work closely with the SHARE organizing staff and work hard to keep our union strong.

The Executive Board (or "EBoard"), including the four officers, makes decisions about the direction of our union, and participates in contract negotiations. They are elected for two-year terms. They have responsibility for the whole union, and each board member is responsible for a few hundred members in their area. 

SHARE Representatives (or "Reps") serve as the contact person for their area. They are elected for one-year terms. There is roughly one Rep for every fifty SHARE members. Some Reps are trained to help co-workers solve problems in the workplace. In addition to the currently-elected Reps, several former Reps and unofficial Reps help members in their area keep up-to-date about current SHARE news, and help their co-workers find helpful SHARE resources.


SHARE Officers

Co-Presidents
Rita Caputo (University)                     PRIMARY CARE CLINIC

Bobbi-Jo Lewis (Memorial)                 SHARE ORGANIZING STAFF

Secretary
Sandra Alafberg                                 BILLING SUPPORT SERVICES

Treasurer
Kathy Girouard                                  HEART & VASC INTVL LAB
SHARE Executive Board
306 Belmont
Sheldon Brown                                  AR DENIAL MGMT TEAM 1
ACC
Sharon Pichierri                                  ORTHOPEDICS CLINIC
Memorial
Nancy Bickford                                   WEST 3
Laura M Welch                                   WOMENS SERVICES UROGYN
Jay Hagan                                          CAT SCAN
University
Tony Martocci                                    CARDIOVASC MED
Debbie Clark                                      ADMISSIONS UNIT
LeDean Buzzell                                   PEDIATRICS ADMINISTRATION
Joel Masley                                        RESPIRATORY THERAPY
WBC
Larry Madden                                    CENTRAL SCHEDULING
SHARE Representatives
306 Belmont
Kate Richardson                                 BILLING SUPPORT SERVICES
Christean Hughes                               CBO A/R
Patty Strait                                         AR DENIAL MGMT TEAM 1
Katie Kornitsky                                  AR DENIAL MGMT TEAM 2
67 Belmont
Cheryl Ferriter                                   SURGERY 67 BELMONT
ACC
Angela Robert                                    CARDIOVASCULAR CLN A CVC
Kellie Morton                                    ONCOLOGY CLINIC
Tammy Berry                                     BREAST CTR SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
Barre
Joanie Pulnik                                      BARRE HEALTH CENTER
Biotech 3
Nicole Ninteau                                   ANPA MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC
Hahnemann
Kelly A Rawlston                                MEDICAL STAFF ADMIN
Wanda Dyer                                      FAMILY MEDICINE CLINIC
Eleanor A Beshai                                HAHNEMANN MAMMOGRAPHY
Julie Dingui                                        HAHNEMANN MAMMOGRAPHY
Memorial
Kim Duncan                                       EMERGENCY ROOM
Brichelle Soto Guerrero                     ED REGISTRATION
Adrianna Nathan                               EMERGENCY ROOM
Kim Latrobe                                       SURGICAL VASCULAR LAB
Faye Serafin                                       WOMENS SERVICES REI
Debbie Church                                   MATERNITY-DELIVERY
Nana Kwapong                                  SOUTH 6
Tracy O'Donnell                                 FAMILY MED HOSP PROGRAM
Monique Winston                              SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
Debbie Horgan                                          PALLIATIVE CARE
Christina Sasso                                   PERINATOLOGY
Andrea Caraglior                                RESPIRATORY THERAPY
Leah Berthiaume                               MAMMOGRAPHY
Jessica Joslyn                                     RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC
Claudia Twum                                    RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC
Queen St
David Gogo                                        3 PTC PSYCH NURSING
Tri River
Mary Misiaszek                                  TRI RIVER CLINIC ADMIN
University
Kelly Yuscinsky                                   EMERGENCY ROOM
Tyler Knapp                                       OUTPATIENT REGISTRATION
Denise Savageau-Page                       EMERGENCY ROOM
Sue Maddalena                                  HEART & VASC INTVL LAB
Milka Gonzalez                                  INTERPRETER SERVICES
Sylvia Rodriguez                                 BMTU
Katrina Baer                                       NURSE STAFFING
Betty Maurais                                    LUNG/ALLERGY CENTER
Kona Enders                                      NURSING 3 WEST
Elsa M Benavides                               INTERPRETER SERVICES
Yamilka Velazquez                             INTERPRETER SERVICES
Cathy Gaulin                                      PRESCRIPTION CENTER
Vanessa De Los Santos                       TRANSPLANT CLINIC
April McIntyre                                   SURGERY ADMINISTRATION
Maria Wentworth                              PEDIATRICS ADMINISTRATION
Anita Pratt                                         PEDI ENDO/DIABETES
Nancy Bellantoni                                NEURODIAGNOSTIC CENTER
Luz Gomez                                        NEUROLOGY CLINIC
Tracey Zaczek                                    RESPIRATORY THERAPY
Marie Marley                                     RADIATION ONCOLOGY
Stephanie Pepi                                  TRAUMA SERVICES
David Leveille                                    ANGIOGRAPHY
Brian Cotoni                                      COMMUNICATION CENTER
Jen O'Loughlin                                   CAT SCAN
Rich Leufstedt                                   RADIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC
WBC
Jennifer Mensah                                CENTRAL SCHEDULING
Nicole Bragg                                      PATIENT ACCESS SVS PRE ARRIVAL
Jackie Brammer                                 CENTRAL SCHEDULING
Susan E. Johnson                               CENTRAL SCHEDULING
Megan Bosworth                               CENTRAL SCHEDULING
                                     

Congratulations, 2017 Union Plus Scholarship Winners!

Congratulations to all recipients of the 2017 Union Plus Scholarship!
Sam Fountain, SHARE Member
and 2017 Scholarship Winner
We're particularly excited for Sam Fountain, a SHARE member and Research Technician right here at UMass Medical School, who will receive a $1,000 award from the AFL-CIO sponsored organization.

Sam says: I'm humbled and honored to be a recipient of a 2017 Union PLUS Scholarship Award. For the past 18 months, I've been a member of the SHARE Union, working as a Research Technician for Dr. Sanjay and Dr. Peter Rice. I'm beginning medical school here at UMass in the fall of 2017, and will use the scholarship to pay for books and other educational supplies I'll need. The cost of medical school is steep, and every penny counts. For decades my family has been benefiting from and advocating for Unionized Labor, and I'm grateful to continue this trend. Thank you to the SHARE Union for all the work you do and for advocating for workers across the University!

Union Plus scholarships totaling $150,000 were awarded this year to 106 students representing 31 unions. Danielle Boudrow, a member of HUCTW, our sister union at Harvard University, also received a $1,000 scholarship.

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2018 Union Plus Scholarships.

2018 Union Plus Scholarships

The Union Plus Education Foundation is now receiving applications for their 2018 Scholarship Program. The awards range from $500 to $4,000.


The application deadline is Tuesday, January 31, 2018.


This is a competitive scholarship, and applicants are evaluated according to academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended.
Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible. The Scholarship Program is open to current and retired members of unions participating in any Union Plus program (e.g., AFSCME), their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). The one year membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31, 2018. Past applicants may re-apply.
The applicant must be accepted into a U.S. accredited college or university, community college, technical or trade school at the time the award is issued. Awards must be used for the 2018 - 2019 school year. You do not have to purchase any Union Plus product or participate in any Union Plus program to be eligible.
Applicants should note that the application requires you to list the national or international union name, local union number, local union's address, phone number and the name of the local union President or Business Manager.  You need this information for your union, your spouse's union or your parent's union (if you are a dependent).  If you or your family members are affiliated with multiple unions you must list this information for all.
As a member of SHARE, you are also a member of our parent organization, AFSCME, a qualifying union. Please note that the “local number” for SHARE on the hospital-side is AFSCME Local 3900. The SHARE hospital-side co-presidents are Bobbi-Jo Lewis and Rita Caputo.
For more details, and to access the online application dashboard, please see the Union Plus Scholarship website.

Overtime Opportunities for Some SHARE Members during Epic Conversion Weekends



Many SHARE members recently received an email from the hospital describing an "all-hands-on-deck" plea for help to manually input appointment and registration information into Epic, and to validate appointment and registration information that is electronically converted into Epic.
No one is required to come in on their weekend off, but the success of the Epic launch requires this step. The hospital encourages participation, and wants your help.  

To be eligible, participants must work in qualified job roles as listed in this link, and have completed appropriate training sessions prior to attending the Conversion Weekend. The hospital notes that these weekend events will provide useful experience before Epic goes live. Incentives offered for SHARE members include:  

  1. Qualified SHARE members can participate in the hospital's Epic Conversion and be paid Overtime (if they work more than 40 hours that week, or more than 8 hours that day). The weekend pay differential of $2.50 per hour will also be applied, as per the SHARE contract.
  2. Free on-site parking, lunch, and beverages will be provided.
  3. SHARE members commuting from off-site locations (non-Worcester campuses, such as Barre, Tri-River, etc.) will be paid the federal mileage rate, according to the SHARE Contract Agreement. (Currently 53.5 cents/mile.)

The work must be done on specific weekends in September, at 100 Front Street in
Worcester, in preparation for the October 1 Epic Go-Live event.  

For the Appointment Conversion weekend, September 9-10, the hospital needs 400 participants from 8 am to 5 pm.

For the Registration and Referral Conversion Weekend, September 16-17, 340 participants will be needed.  

To request a copy of the hospital's email regarding Epic Conversion, or to ask questions, please contact EpicScheduling@umassmemorial.org

A Strong Start for Unit Based Teams

The first ever UBT Co-Lead Peer-Learning event opened with SHARE Union organizer Janet Wilder thanking everyone in the room. Janet said that the newly defined relationship between SHARE members and managers is the most important language in our contract as we aim to improve the culture of our hospital. She explained that Unit-Based Teams are the cornerstone of that agreement, the most concrete and hopeful effort toward changing how it feels to work here.

Janet is the SHARE Tri-Chair of our Labor-Management Partnership Council, along with Bart Metzger, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Jeff Smith, Chief Operating Officer,

who also

kicked off the

meeting by talking about the importance of UBTs. Jeff Smith said that involving front-line staff in fixing the problem is better than the alternative: “I could give you an answer quickly, but it would be a bad solution.”

The first UBT Peer Learning Session brought together UBT Co-Sponsors and Co-Leads from SHARE, along with their management counterparts, as well as representatives from CITC, HR, and UMMC Executive Leadership. They came together to compare notes about the challenges and successes so far in the first wave of Unit Based Teams

As the hour developed, it became clear to everyone in the room that, across the board, the Unit-Based Teams are off to a productive and promising start. Each UBT has selected one or two substantial problems to tackle in their areas. They've defined their goals, and have begun measuring the effectiveness of their ideas.

SHARE Member and Lead Cardiac Catheterization Technologist, Sue Maddalena, describes how their UBT disregarded the advice that teams should avoid tackling the hardest problems first. They're seeing early successes as they work to improve the start times of their cases.   

Each UBT explained very different situations, different approaches, and different results thus far, even between the two Prescription Centers involved, on both the University and Memorial campuses. Nonetheless, common trends appeared throughout. Communication in areas with UBT's has improved, sometimes considerably. That communication is helping the day-to-day work go more smoothly, and improving the work culture.

In Primary Care, they're kicking butt and collecting data. Where employees were previously frustrated with walk-ins, they're now opportunities to collect data to fix the problem. Rita Caputo (SHARE Co-President, pictured above left) tracks the progress of their system improvements. 

SHARE member and Ambulatory Services Rep Mary Misiaszek said that, in her area, she had encountered one particularly meaningful new improvement: deeper respect. In addition, she said different parts of the clinic now "appreciate what everybody did, because we didn't know what everybody did before."

Mary noted, however, that one of the major challenges they faced was just understanding one another, since each kind of work in the hospital involves its own jargon and specialized language. As an ASR, her understanding of the distinction between words like "rapid" and "stat" differs from some co-workers, who use those words within the boundaries of defined clinical guidelines. 

The hospital's

Center for Innovation and Transformational Change

 often came up in the discussion, with participants noting the importance of the role of CITC in providing common language for discussing improvement.

SHARE member Kim Latrobe, a Technologist in the Surgical Vascular Lab, says that her co-workers are more willing to speak up about problems now, and more optimistic about the way that management will consider their ideas. 

Some in the room commented that their department staff had found it meaningful to see SHARE and hospital leadership coming together around the Unit Based Teams. Although SHARE members have experienced many different initiatives aimed at improvement over the years, this feels different. Working through issues in a process where all participants have equal voice creates mutual accountability and improved chance of continual improvement. 

Bart Metzger, UMass Memorial Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, said that hospital CEO Eric Dickson increasingly references the importance of UBT's in meetings among hospital executives. Metzger describes the function of the UBTs toward the hospital's goals of transforming and humanizing our institution, and turning the traditional management paradigm on its head.

In the recent months, the participants in these first UBT's have learned a lot about how to launch a UBT successfully . . . much of it by trial-and-error. During the Peer Learning Session, many participants thanked the UBT Coaches and their own Co-Sponsors, who have been supporting the teams with tools and strategies for tackling big problems productively. 

Although the UBT model involves a lot of planning, there have definitely been surprises in their initial experiments. The participants recommended even more training and more planning time, and encouraged the Coaches and Co-Sponsors to begin working with the next wave of UBT's as soon as possible, even though those teams won't be launching until after Epic Go-Live. We look forward to hearing more from this first group of UBT's.

SHARE Staff Organizers Janet Wilder and Will Erickson collect ideas and advice for improving the launch of the next wave of Unit Based Teams

The hour-long meeting brought together union members and management from the University Campus and the Memorial Campus, not to mention a labor-management pair who commuted in from our hospital's Tri-River facility in Uxbridge. 

It wasn't easy to coordinate a time when so many could be away from their desks and workstations.

W

e know that whenever employees step away from the front lines to meet, it puts more pressure on those who remain in the departments to care for patients. We recognize those of you who are working in areas with UBT's for getting this important project started in such a strong way

. Already hundreds of SHARE members have helped move the work forward. Thank you. 

A NEW SHARE UNION: UMASS MEMORIAL--MARLBOROUGH HOSPITAL

For those of you who haven’t heard, we’re lending support to employees at our sister location in Marlborough who wish to join SHARE. Impressed by what we’ve accomplished, they’ve come to us with a request to join in. If you have friends at UMass Memorial’s Marlborough Hospital, we could use your help connecting them with our union.

A Rising Tide

SHARE believes that everyone benefits when workers have a say. We’re making work better for ourselves, and we want our colleagues up the road to have that opportunity, too. What’s good for Marlborough Hospital is good for UMass Memorial, and for the Central Massachusetts community.

SHARE is a union unique to UMass Memorial and UMass Medical School, tailored to our needs here. Our region is distinct, with its own economic challenges. We know that inequality is hurting us. Without unions to advocate for middle-class wages, employers alone dictate the market rate.

Our connections make us strong, and we want to strengthen and be strengthened by the inclusion of the hospital’s Marlborough location, to enlist the help of our colleagues toward improving the area where we live and work.

Everyone Should Be Free to Participate

We’ve been cultivating our own organization for twenty years at UMass Memorial. Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about negotiating, and about the need to deepen our understanding of how to run a hospital . . . how to run *our* hospital.

Those of us who have been here since our union’s beginnings will tell you that our hospital is a very different place now from what it was then. We don’t suggest that those ambitions are easily achieved: we all have important day jobs, and having a union doesn’t make the day-to-day go away. We’re still working hard to make our hospital the kind of place we want it to be.

But we want our friends in Marlborough to know that our SHARE union gives us opportunities to compare notes, to talk and think together, to build structures for making improvements. Like our hospital’s senior administration, we believe in the mission of our hospital. We also believe that a labor-management partnership can make our hospital vibrant and resilient. We can’t do it without each other. We believe that the same is true in Marlborough.

We Want to Share Values and Strength

There are 2700 of us (plus our 500 friends in SHARE at UMass Medical School), and our relationships with our employer are extremely complex. As a matter of principle, we maintain kind and respectful conversations with those in management roles. We have support and assistance from in-house SHARE staff organizers who help this happen. Perhaps most importantly, we can have those conversations safely because our union affords us an independent source of power. Our friends at Marlborough need this, too. They deserve to negotiate their own agreements with their hospital leaders.

Let’s Connect

If you have friends at Marlborough Hospital, please let them know about your experience as a SHARE member. They may want to know about raises and benefits, but they may also want to know what we’re trying to do to improve the culture in our hospital, how we’re able to participate in more decisions, and how we work to improve the quality of care for patients.

If you can help connect SHARE Organizers with friends who work at Marlborough Hospital, let us know. If you can help us make an introduction, or would like to know more about what we’re doing, please call the SHARE office (508-929-4020) and leave a message on the voicemail for one of the Marlborough SHARE Organizers to call you back.

Come Cheer the Sox with SHARE: Tickets Available Now

Let's Go SHARE!
Labor Day this year is going to be a lot of fun. The Red Sox will have just swept the Yankees (right?), the weather’s going to be perfect, and SHARE will be a week away from its 20th birthday.

We’re looking forward to it, too, because we reserved a couple nice blocks of seating for Union Night at Fenway, when the Sox host the Blue Jays . . .

  • Date: Labor Day 2017 (Monday, September 4th)
  • Time: 7:10 pm
  • Place: Fenway Park!
  • Cost: $30 in the bleachers, or $15 in the upper bleachers.

Seems like a pretty decent way to round out the Summer and honor the contributions that workers have made to our country. In our section, we’ll be sitting with members our sister NEOP unions, including SHARE at UMass Medical School, HUCTW (the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers), and USW (the Union of Social Workers at Cambridge Health Alliance).

To sit in our block and take advantage of the discounted union rate, purchase tickets directly from this Red Sox website. Your family and friends are welcome to join in, too. Deadline for purchasing tickets is July 31, 2017.

Questions? Please contact Bobbi-Jo Lewis.  

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats: Worcester City Council Votes to Support Increases to the Minimum Wage

President Kennedy popularized the expression that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” the idea that if the general economic conditions of community improve, everyone in that community benefits. Of course, these kinds of economic tides don’t raise themselves.


Khrystian King.JPG
City Councilor Khrystian King presents his
proposal to support an increase to the minimum wage
One of the most difficult aspects of any contract negotiations is the raise. How much should employees make? Most employers rely heavily on the idea of market rates and industry standards in order to develop their answer to that question. There’s a logic to that. And, at the same time, market rates and industry standards aren’t designed to help people lead better lives.
According to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, a living wage for a family with two adults and two children in Worcester County requires each parent to make at least $15.81 per hour. The success of SHARE and other unions in our hospital to maintain solid wages and benefits work to benefit Central Massachusetts as a whole, raising the tide, and normalizing a livable income.
One factor in improving the economic climate, the minimum wage, is a relatively recent idea. It has its own fascinating history, its origins involving exploding bakeries, a blue eagle, and a guy who may or may not have been drunk. The minimum wage is designed to increase wages up the scale, expanding and strengthening the middle class. Additionally, proponents argue that, for employers, higher wages mean more efficient workers and less employee turnover, making it easier to recruit and retain workers and helping their bottom line. And, that when workers have more money in their pockets, they spend it at small businesses in their neighborhoods, helping those local businesses grow and create more jobs.

SHARE Staff Organizer Jana Hollingsworth joined others at a recent Worcester City Council meeting to promote an increase to the minimum wage in Massachusetts. A number of residents presented to the Council, describing how an increase to the minimum wage would improve their families' lives. The Council voted to back a minimum wage increase to $15 by the year 2021, a measure that would directly raise the income of 40% of Worcester residents who currently make less than that, according to one figure cited at the meeting.
The increase must still be voted on in the State Legislature, in the form of House Bill 2365 and Senate Bill 1004. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that, “under the legislation, the minimum wage would increase by $1 annually, starting Jan. 1, 2018, until it reaches $15 in 2021. The minimum wage would then be adjusted each year to rise with the cost of living.”
Worcester City Council.JPG
SHARE Staff Organizer Jana Hollingsworth's view of the City Council Chamber

Of course, another way to participate in shaping a more favorable economic climate, one that promotes fairness and well-being, is through a union. Research shows that declines in unionization are linked to increasing inequality. At the same time, researchers find that a disproportionate number of women, African Americans, and Latinos currently make less than fifteen dollars an hour.

Find Help When Help Is Needed

We all know that a personal crisis can happen to anyone, and when we least expect it. SHARE is committed to helping each other get through the worst. In addition to their day-to-day job responsibilities working for our hospital, SHARE Reps help co-workers navigate problems at work. Often, those challenges are interwoven with hardships outside of the workplace.


Some elected SHARE Reps choose to be trained in Problem Solving skills, and can direct co-workers to helpful resources. Of course, all of us can help each other when hardship strikes. Below is a list of resources that you can offer to friends and co-workers at a critical moment:
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Our own hospital’s Employee Assistance Program is an extremely valuable resource. Their services are free to employees of UMass Memorial and UMass Medical School, and completely confidential. EAP assists employees and their families with:
  • job-related stress
  • drug and alcohol abuse
  • child care issues
  • marital conflicts
  • elder care needs
  • financial difficulties
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • emotional trauma
  • domestic violence
  • legal concerns
The EAP is located very near the main University campus, at 382 Plantation Street. You can also call them at 800-322-5327.
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2-1-1
Just as you would call 9-1-1 in an emergency, United Way of Central Massachusetts has partnered with other United Ways across the state to establish a free, confidential hotline to help with non-life threatening needs. 2-1-1 is an easy to remember telephone number that connects callers to information about health and human services available in their community. It serves as a resource for finding government benefits and services, non-profit organizations, support groups, volunteer opportunities, donation programs, and other local resources. Calling 2-1-1 is:
  • Free
  • Confidential
  • Available 24 hours-a-day / 7 days-a-week
  • Multi-lingual
  • Available immediately during times of crisis, to field calls regarding the event and to direct callers to services most appropriate for their needs
  • Is an easy way to find or give help in your community
  • Maintains the integrity of the 9-1-1 system saving that vital community resource for life and death emergencies
These benefits are also available online at the Mass 211 website
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SUICIDE HOTLINES
If you or someone you know feels suicidal, get help immediately. The suicide.org website provides a number of local and national hotlines.
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HOMELESS SHELTERS
If someone you know needs a safe place to go, shelterlistings.org provides a list that includes local emergency shelters, homeless shelters, day shelters, transitional housing, residential drug/alcohol rehabilitation programs, supportive housing and permanent affordable housing.

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FREE HEALTHCARE
The Worcester Free Clinic Coalition is a group of Worcester Free Medical Programs that provide free or low-cost  primary healthcare services to those who are uninsured or underinsured in the greater Worcester area.


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GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF YOURSELF
You might consider seeking out ways to help. When you give blood, you help to save the lives of patients’ right here in our community, including those undergoing cancer treatment, accident victims, and transplant recipients. You can literally give this important part of yourself at our hospital’s Blood Donor Center.


Last year, Worcester County Food Bank volunteers assisted in distributing food to 89,000 people in Worcester County. You can learn how to help at the WCFB website. And, to learn about other ways to help locally, check out the website for the United Way Volunteer Center.
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TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
To best help others, we need to be in good shape to do so. Headlines increasingly report that mindfulness practice literally strengthens your brain. Many of the scientific studies that support these findings come from our own pioneering Center for Mindfulness, which offers a number of opportunities for learning and practice.


You can also listen to this fun interview with distinguished psychologist Dr. Phil Lombardo, in which he describes, among other things, exercises to help you be prepared to do the right thing when heroic acts are needed.
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SHARE CAN HELP

Of course, the SHARE Reps and Organizing Staff have a lot of experience solving problems, and are tapped into a broad network of helpful and professional caregivers of all kinds. Just find your nearest SHARE Rep in your workplace who can help direct you (a list of the newly-elected reps will be listed to this blog soon), or call the SHARE office: 508-929-4020. If you have to leave a message, please know that we triage calls regularly during regular business hours, and do our best to return messages as soon as we can.

No Voting Required This Year for SHARE Rep and Executive Board Members

This year we received more than 60 nominations for SHARE Rep and Executive Board, and there are enough positions for all the nominees. A vote is only held when there are more people running than there are positions to run for.

Congratulations to the new and returning SHARE representatives, who are now considered elected! Also, thank you to all of the nominators for honoring your co-workers by submitting their names for these important roles.

A list of all SHARE Reps and Executive Board members will be posted soon, right here on this blog.

Questions? Please call the SHARE office at 508-929-4020.

What Does a SHARE Rep Do?

SHARE leaders have a special role in our community. Together, we work to create one of the most important relationship networks in our hospital.

SHARE Reps discussing Unit-Based Teams
The main role of a SHARE Rep is to aid communication between members and the SHARE leadership. We continually share information to better understand what is happening across our workplaces, and to make our work better.

As a result, SHARE Reps do all kinds of things, depending on the needs and interests of our union and our members. Ultimately, if you become a SHARE Rep, you decide what to take on . . . each Rep has a different level of involvement. In the beginning, you should simply be prepared to meet new people, and to learn a lot of new things from others throughout the UMass Memorial community.
A SHARE Rep always has support. The SHARE organizing staff and experienced Reps are here to help. We provide training and individual coaching to help you develop new skills. Here’s a list of the kinds of projects that some SHARE Reps commonly do:
  • Meet and develop relationships with every person in their work area
  • Come to the monthly SHARE Rep Meetings
  • Provide information to co-workers, and to the EBoard and Organizers
  • Help other SHARE members to find help when they need it
  • Improve work processes and solve departmental problems
  • Lead and participate in Unit Based Teams
  • Bake for events
  • Participate in a web of support for other members in the unfortunate event of a layoff
  • Serve as a “witness” at a disciplinary meeting for a member
  • Distribute and collect surveys
  • Sign up new members on membership cards
  • Negotiate
There’s a whole lot more. The activities that SHARE Reps do are extremely important, and often a lot of fun. When new challenges arise, we figure things out together. And we know that important things get built just like anything else: one little brick at a time.

If you have questions about what SHARE reps do, please contact the SHARE Office (508-929-4020), or talk to a current SHARE rep.

New Acute Care Inpatient PCA Staffing Guidelines: Info Meetings & FAQ

SHARE members on the nursing floors have begun to implement the newly-negotiated Patient Care Associate (PCA) Guidelines.  This exciting new wave of improvements will help PCA’s better care for patients, and allow them to focus on the most meaningful aspects of their work.

The initial roll-out is being pioneered on the Memorial Campus on West 3, and on the University Campus on 6 East.

UMMC Associate Chief Nursing Officer Lisa Gillum and SHARE Co-President Bobbi-Jo Lewis will host the first of many informational discussions about the new guidelines. All staff on the Inpatient Floors are invited.

Acute Care Inpatient PCA Staffing
Informational Discussions
Friday April 21st
West 3 Breakroom
6:30a-7:30a & 2:30p-3:30p

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Acute Care Inpatient PCA Staffing
FAQ

1.    What does this new language mean in our contract?
To work collaboratively with the RN and the unit team which will improve communication and provide quality patient care
2.    Who chooses how we do our assignments?

The PCA model at Memorial Campus is decided shift to  shift based patient needs and available staffing resources. The model will be reviewed at the start of the shift with the Unit Staff on the unit.

The University Campus will be decided by the Unit Staff that best meets the patient needs.  It will either be an assignment or geographical locations and/or tasks
Concerns about your assignment should be discussed with the Resource Nurse, Nurse Manager, Clinical Coordinator and/or Nursing Supervisor
3.    When is it going to start?
The first step is obtaining information of the assignments and tasking responsibilities on the PCAs on the unit.
The next step will be deciding the model for the unit by the unit team. Implementation should be completed by Mid-Summer (July 2017).
4.    Does this affect all PCA’s work?
The new language is currently for PCA’s on the acute care inpatient floors.
5.    Who is on this team that is making decisions about my work?
Since each inpatient floor has unique patients with special needs, the decisions should be decided through a joint effort between the  Unit Staff,  Nurse Manager, Clinical Coordinators.

The PCA’s and volunteer RN’s who will work together to roll-out the process, help problem solve and listen to concerns when a problem arises.   

6.    I want to be able to give good quality care. What if my assignment is still too much? And the patients aren’t getting the attention that they need from me?

Everyone’s goal is to provide  quality care to our patients.  If your assignment is too heavy and demanding then you should speak to the Resource Nurse and/or Nurse Manager to facilitate a discussion about the issues with the assignment.
You can also reach out to your SHARE organizer  and ask that the situation be followed up by  the committee listed in question 5. This committee’s goals is to  make sure that things are going smoothly and thoughtfully.
7.    Some will think that I can still do it all. What should I say?


You should say that "I want to give our patients the best care and I don’t feel that I am able to complete the delegated assignment/tasks. Is there another way that the work can be distributed?”

SHARE Representative and Executive Board Nominations Are Now Open

The nomination period for SHARE leaders is now open. If you would like to nominate yourself or a co-worker, you can read full details online. Current SHARE Reps who wish to continue to be Reps need to be nominated again this year. To be eligible, any nominated SHARE member must have paid dues for at least six months prior to the election, and must be nominated in writing by 5pm on Friday, April 28th.
(A version of the nomination letter has also been mailed to your home address. Please note that that version contains misprints regarding odd- and even-years, which have been corrected in this email.)
The Executive Board positions to be elected this year include:
  • 306 Belmont Street (Region A)
  • Memorial Locations, Nursing Floors & Emergency Department (Region B)
  • Memorial  Locations, Ambulatory Clinics (Region D)
  • University Locations, Technical & Diagnostic (Region C)
  • University Locations, Clerical & Other (Region E)
Additionally, all SHARE Representative positions are open for nominations. The full breakdown of regions can be found in the online copy of the nominations letter.
If there are too many candidates for the number of positions, elections will be held on Wednesday, May 31. If you have any questions, please call the SHARE office (508-929-4020).

Questions or suggestions about this website? Email kirk.davis@theshareunion.org