On September 29, CSEA Local 830 President Jerry Laricchiuta, NUMC Unit President Ken Nicholson and NUMC VP and Registered Nurse Linda Dimonda addressed the Health and Social Services Committee of the Nassau County Legislature regarding the ongoing issues in the Nassau Health Care Corporation.

 

Specific incidents were cited, as well as a background of the overall issues including the nurses' shift change, mandation of overtime, lack of staffing, and refusal of management to cross-train nurses who were moved to other areas of the hospital.  Nicholson also emphasized that NUMC is within the perview of the Nassau Legislature, which Committee Chair, Legislator Dave Mejias agreed with and said, "this is within the perview of this body.  We do pay $18 million to the hospital every year."

 

NHCC CEO Art Gianelli got a chance to present an update on the NHCC.  Mejias had the opportunity to ask Gianelli about the nurses shift change and how that is affecting the hospital.  According to Gianelli, the shift change will save between $6 and $8 million on an annual basis, and is more efficient than the three 12 hour shifts.  He also said he doesn't believe overtime has increased since the shift change.

 

That is strongly disputed by the union, as paperwork distributed to the legislators clearly showed the increase in overtime, including mandated overtime, which CSEA still claims to be illegal, according to a July 1 law signed by Gov. David Paterson.  Gianelli says the law gives them 3 months after October 13 to work out a schedule that would cater to less mandatory overtime.  Again, CSEA strongly disputes that claim.

 

Office of Legislative Budget Review Director Eric Naughton said he would have an analysis of how much money the NHCC is saving by going from 12 to 8 hour shifts, within a week.

 

Mejias also emphasized a stronger communication between the administration and the union was necessary, as Gianelli admitted not speaking to the union, and using his point person to do so.  Laricchiuta said during the hearing, "If we had open lines of communication, we wouldn't have to be here today at a county budget hearing, speaking about NUMC."