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A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supporting Magee-Womens Hospital registered nurses and advanced practitioners who are advocating for national staffing standards, and urging UPMC to work collaboratively with them to negotiate a fair union contract.
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WHEREAS, Magee-Womens Hospital holds a unique place in our region; for generations,
families across Allegheny County have relied on the expertise and compassion of Magee’s caregivers to bring new life into the world and to provide specialized care during some of life’s most vulnerable moments; and
WHEREAS, Magee delivers almost half of all births in Allegheny County, has the largest neonatal intensive care unit in our state, and provides a wide range of other critical services to the most medically complex patients from across Southwest Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, the nurses and advanced practitioners at Magee are the backbone of this institution; their dedication is the reason UPMC Magee maintains its reputation as a world-class center for women’s health; and
WHEREAS, our region is facing an infant and maternal health crisis, with higher rates of infant mortality, preterm births and low birth weights than the state average; Severe Maternal Morbidity has been dramatically rising; and these problems are compounded by racial and class disparities; and
WHEREAS, we are also facing a crisis for the nursing profession in Pennsylvania with 20,000 unfilled positions, the worst in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Magee nurses have expressed that they are struggling with a lack of time with their patients, turnover, burnout, a loss of experienced nurses and inadequate professional benefits such as paid parental leave; and
WHEREAS, to address this crisis, Magee nurses formed their union and entered into contract negotiations with UPMC in order to advocate on behalf of their patients and community; and
WHEREAS, nurses have proposed a range of urgent solutions including evidence-based, national staffing standards, and policies to retain nurses; and
WHEREAS, multiple clinical studies, including a recent comprehensive study out of U Penn, prove that staffing standards are necessary for protecting patient safety and quality of care, and preventing nurse burnout; and
WHEREAS, other employers, such as West Penn and Allegheny General Hospital, have responsibly negotiated union contracts with their nurses that include national staffing standards; and
WHEREAS, Magee nurses presented their staffing proposals to UPMC on March 10, including standards established by the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, such as one dedicated nurse for every patient in active labor; and
WHEREAS, nurses began their negotiations in January and presented their full contract proposals to UPMC on April 30, but UPMC has not responded in a timely manner to their staffing standards or other major proposals; and
WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council released a recent report showing that Magee was the most profitable out of all 152 general acute care hospitals in the state, with $437.5 million in operating profit last fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, UPMC is the largest health system and private employer in our our county and our Commonwealth, and has both the resources and responsibility to lead on investing in nurse staffing and retention; and
WHEREAS, patient volume is increasing at Magee as the summer months bring a higher number of births; and
WHEREAS, UPMC has not acted with a sufficient sense of urgency, and therefore Magee nurses have set a July 4 deadline to reach a contract or vote on taking appropriate action; and
WHEREAS, Magee must have labor peace to ensure the continued provision of essential care in our county;
SECTION 1.
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
The County’s ability to continue a collaborative relationship with UPMC depends on the system’s commitment to being a fair and responsible employer and healthcare provider. Given that maintaining labor peace and a strong, respected nursing workforce is essential for the future of Magee-Womens’ Hospital and our community at large, Allegheny County Council hereby urges UPMC to work collaboratively with nurses and advanced practitioners to negotiate a fair contract in an expeditious manner, for the health of women, children and all patients throughout our region.
SECTION 2. Severability.
If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Resolution, which shall be in full force and effect.
SECTION 3. Repealer.
Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Ordinance is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.