For Immediate Release
Sept. 11, 2024
Shane Youtz
shane@youtzvaldez.com
505-980-1590
Negotiations Come After Judge Ordered Hospital to Get to the Table
RIO RANCHO, N.M.—Following last week’s district court ruling ordering the University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center to get to the bargaining table, the United Health Professionals of New Mexico announced today that the hospital agreed to begin negotiations with the union next Wednesday.
UHPNM was formed more than two years ago to fight for better patient healing and working conditions, but negotiations for a first contract have stalled ever since because the hospital has filed numerous challenges to avoid bargaining. The state labor board and the district court have ruled against the hospital on each attempt. Last week, District Court Judge Nancy Franchini denied UNM SRMC’s request to once again delay negotiations. She ruled it must begin negotiations on all terms and conditions of employment and include nurses and other health professionals, including PRNs, who are fully credentialed regular employees with flexible shifts.
The parties agreed to start bargaining on Wednesday, Sept. 18.
“We are committed to staying at the bargaining table until we get it done,” said union lawyer Shane Youtz. “The union has said all along that its mission for negotiations is to get binding agreement on solutions that will help ease the serious staffing shortage and other problems inhibiting patient and working conditions.” He also said he hopes that no further excuses by the hospital will delay negotiations.
Gilbert Martinez, an MRI technologist at the hospital, said he was thrilled that bargaining is set to begin.
“Because of unsafe staffing levels, the quality of patient care has diminished over the past few years. I see it in the radiology department, where patients have to wait too long to be seen, and I know it’s happening in other departments throughout the hospital,” Martinez said. “I truly hope we can reach agreement on ways to fix these problems.”
On Sept. 17, the union will be holding an evening community forum on UNM SRMC’s quality of care and accountability. Scheduled to speak are Lt. Gov. Howie Morales, state Rep. Kathleen Cates, County Commissioner Katherine Bruch, a nurse, a patient and others. '
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