For Immediate Release
Sept. 17, 2024
Shane Youtz
shane@youtzvaldez.com
505-980-1590
Action Comes Days Before Hospital and Union Set to Bargain
RIO RANCHO, N.M.—Just days before collective bargaining is scheduled to begin, the University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center disciplined two nurses who have spoken out about poor conditions in the hospital, officials of the workers’ union, the United Health Professionals of New Mexico, said today.
UNM SRMC and UHPNM are scheduled to begin collective bargaining on Sept. 18, more than two years after the union was legally formed.
Samantha Hines, an emergency room RN, was given a three-day suspension on what the union called trumped-up charges. She has spoken out publicly about poor quality patient healing and working conditions. Previously, the hospital threatened her with termination. Jennifer Heckwine, also an emergency room RN, was put on administrative leave for reporting that she had been repeatedly harassed and told that if she wants to continue to work at UNM SRMC, she must find a new position outside of the emergency room.
“It’s outrageous that they would be disciplined for simply speaking up about serious problems at the hospital. And it’s especially ironic and frustrating that they have to leave the ED either temporarily or permanently when we know that there is a serious staffing shortage there that adversely affects ED patients,” said union lawyer Shane Youtz.
He noted that a Medicare survey found that the hospital’s ER wait time is nearly twice the national average and that 6 percent of UNM SRMC patients leave the ER without seeing a doctor.
Both nurses are on the union’s bargaining team.
Hines said she is discouraged about her suspension and the fact that it comes just as the parties are set to begin collective bargaining.
“These disciplinary actions just show how important it will be to have a collective bargaining agreement so that workers can advocate for themselves and their patients under a binding agreement,” Hines said.
Heckwine said harassment has no place in any workplace.
“Any type of worker abuse or harassment should never be swept under the rug and result in disciplining the victim. This hospital is having trouble recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals, and disciplinary actions like these only discourage people from working at UNM SRMC,” Heckwine said.
Youtz said he will be amending a prohibited practice complaint for Hines that had charged the hospital with previously threatening to terminate her. It will now charge the hospital with illegally suspending her. And he will file a prohibited practice complaint concerning Heckwine’s banishment from the ED.
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