WSNA was scheduled to meet with management on Friday, November 18, to bargain the terms and conditions of overpayment repayment with the expectation they would provide our requested information prior to the meeting, which included an itemization of the alleged overpayments for each WSNA member. Late on Thursday, November 17, management notified WSNA they needed to cancel our bargaining meeting. In addition, they proceeded seeking the payroll deduction authorizations.

We learned from many members that the alleged overpayments were deducted from nurses’ November 18 paychecks for both nurses that signed authorization to deduct and those that did not. The hospital later returned the overpayment deductions to the nurses that had not signed the authorization for deductions.

Management compounded the confusion by paying out the Broad Based Bonus awards we had not reached a complete agreement on. They also noted on the line item of paystubs the $200 they chose to forgive of the overpayments. Nurses have reported many other errors on paychecks too. The biggest complaint is not being able to understand paystubs and the need for an itemization for the alleged overpayments.

Today, November 23, WSNA filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against VMFH for violating the law by: 1) dealing directly with employees over repayment plans, 2) unilaterally implementing a repayment plan, and 3) failing to supply information requested by WSNA that is necessary for bargaining over the terms of repayment plans. We also sent a letter to hospital leadership notifying them of the above noted charges we filed as well as proposing to meet to bargain December 1.

What you can do!

If you signed an authorization for deduction, please copy and paste the message below in an email to the VMFH Division Director, Employee & Labor Relations, Marie LaMarche: marielamarche@chifranciscan.org and please cc me. bfriesen@wsna.org.

I am writing to revoke any authorization I may have given for VMFH to deduct monies from my paycheck for alleged overpayments. I do not acknowledge that I was overpaid by the amount VMFH claims and I do not agree for VMFH to make deductions from my future paychecks to recoup the alleged overpayment.

I understand that any such authorization I may have given was unlawfully secured without the consent of my union, WSNA. See N. Coast Cleaning Serv., 272 NLRB 1343 (N.L.R.B. 1984).

Additionally, by this email, I am requesting a full accounting of the amount that VMFH claims I was overpaid. This information is necessary for me to determine whether or not I do in fact agree that I was overpaid by the amount alleged by VMFH. I cannot provide meaningful consent to have the alleged overpayment deducted from my paychecks without having a full accounting of the basis of the alleged overpayment, and the fact that I was not provided with this information prior to being asked to consent to having deductions made is yet another reason why I am revoking any authorization I may have made.

If you did not sign an authorization to deduct payments but have received notification regarding alleged overpayments and would like a full accounting of the alleged overpayment, please copy and paste the message below in an email to the VMFH Division Director, Employee & Labor Relations, Marie LaMarche: marielamarche@chifranciscan.org and please cc me. bfriesen@wsna.org.

I am requesting a full accounting of the amount that VMFH claims I was overpaid. This information is necessary for me to determine whether or not I do in fact agree that I was overpaid by the amount alleged by VMFH. I cannot provide meaningful consent to have the alleged overpayment deducted from my paychecks without having a full accounting of the basis of the alleged overpayment.

I will be watching for your emails going to Marie LaMarche that you cc me on. Please encourage all of your colleagues to send the emails too. The more emails the bigger the impact!

If you have questions or concerns, please contact any of our WSNA Local Unit Officers or Unit Reps. They always have the most up to date information.

In Solidarity,
Barbara Friesen
WSNA Nurse Rep
bfriesen@wsna.org