The University of New Mexico Hospital and United Health Professionals NM division of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), who seek to represent clinical employees at UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center - A Campus of UNM Hospital (SRMC), have agreed to resume good-faith bargaining that has failed in the past.
Last week, a New Mexico District Court judge ruled that bargaining should continue between UNM Hospital and AFT, while both parties continue to wait for a ruling on whether PRN (pro re nata) employees, who are temporary, freelance workers, should be included in the bargaining unit. New Mexico law states only “regular employees” can lawfully be included into a bargaining unit. UNM Hospital has interpreted the law to mean temporary employees cannot be part of a public union. None of the other unions representing UNM Hospital employees include temporary workers in their bargaining units.
Because AFT disagrees with this interpretation of the law, contract negotiations have been stalled since February, leaving this group of SRMC employees without a contract.
Clarity from the court on the PRN issue is necessary so that all public employers and public employee unions - including UNM Hospital and AFT - can negotiate with each other fairly and with a full understanding of their obligations under the law. UNM filed its appeal because this clarity is so vital to good-faith bargaining.
We respect the Judge’s order, and we remain committed to doing what is right for our employees. This legal disagreement has created a situation that has led to the employees in this group caught in the middle. UNM Hospital looks forward to AFT coming to the table and entering into good faith bargaining so that these employees can be covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
UNM Hospital has asked AFT to meet at the negotiation table five separate times in the last year. AFT accepted once, and then walked away, and refused the next four offers to bargain. Following the judge’s latest order, UNM Hospital fully expects AFT to respect the ruling and enter into good-faith negotiations. UNM Hospital will bargain for terms consistent with how the hospital negotiates with all other unions representing employees at UNM Hospital and SRMC.
As part of good faith bargaining, we hope AFT’s leadership ends its campaign of personal attacks, misinformation, and false accusations, particularly around the quality of care provided by our staff and providers. This group of employees, like all our teams, deserve focused conversations centered around how both the union and the hospital will support them, and continue to support the delivery of high-quality patient care. We remain committed to those goals and I hope the latest judicial ruling offers a reset for AFT to commit to those goals with us.
The two parties have agreed to meet next week to enter good faith bargaining.