The 1st day of bargaining has concluded. Though the meeting was quiet and courteous this time around, the possibility of negotiations escalating to the level of the Montgomery Riverfront Brawl remains (yes, there were folding chairs in the meeting room). No, we don’t wish for it nor do we expect it to happen.
Though no proposals were exchanged, we did make progress in the following ways:
- We agreed on ground rules
- We have the 2nd meeting set for Thursday, August 31, 2023
In addition, County negotiators seemed like they were very willing to work with us. For example, upon hearing our requests to change certain aspects and language of the ground rules, County never returned from a caucus with a hard, steadfast “no” to any of our requests. However, as Chief Negotiator Kim said, and I paraphrase, the only side we trust is ours.
More importantly, we want to reiterate.
Contracts are won on the field– not on the table!
What does this mean? This means action!
- Wearing your RNPA shirts (on more than just Tuesdays!)
- Wearing buttons! Wearing stickers! (check the bulletin boards in your break rooms for stickers)
- Attending rallies and showing waves of nurses in blue RNPA shirts gathering
- Liking and sharing posts on social media (especially if the County or any Supervisors are tagged! They are bosses of the County negotiators!)
- Overall, it’s increased visibility throughout the county!
Yes, today felt easy but we don’t expect it to be from here on out and neither should you! The individual actions above are inherently small and simple but they lead to increased visibility which is paramount to a union’s strength- its UNITY.
Thank you all for your continued support and it’s an honor to represent you during negotiations!
