UVM hospital management says latest offer is its last, calls for a union vote

The University of Vermont Medical Center told its nurses union that the hospital’s offer of a 15 percent base salary raise over three years is the hospital’s “last, best and final offer” during negotiations on Thursday.

The union had come to the negotiating table with an offer of 20 percent, down from the 22 percent it proposed last time the two sides met nearly a month ago. UVM management raised its offer to 15 percent in mid-August.

The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals and the hospital administration have been negotiating since March but were not able to come to an agreement before the previous contract expired July 9.

“As is true in any negotiation, there comes a time when you have to state your final position, and that time has come,” hospital president Eileen Whalen said in a statement Thursday evening.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2018/09/13/uvm-hospital-management-says-latest-offer-last-calls-union-vote/