“I just want them to sit down at the table and talk with us and get down to business and finish this contract,” she said.
Premier Health said in a statement it continues to negotiate in good faith with the UAW for a labor contract covering CareFlight nurses and medics.
“We have met with the union nearly 20 times and have two additional sessions planned between now and the end of July,” the statement read.
UAW local and regional members and representatives of Miami Valley Hospital nurses seeking to unionize under the UAW attended a Friday afternoon rally before marching to the Dayton hospital. Multiple drivers honked horns in support along Main Street as the group held a banner, signs and chanted across from the hospital.
“We’re raising awareness and trying to rally our people and gain support and show Premier that we’re not going to back down until we get a contract,” Coleman said.
Credit: Jen Balduf
Credit: Jen Balduf
David Green, director of UAW Region 2B that serves Ohio and Indiana, said first contracts are always difficult.
He said the UAW represents other nurses in Ohio, in the Toledo area, and in Indiana, and now about 70 CareFlight nurses and medics.
“What’s unique here is their biggest demands are safety issues and concerns,” Green said.
One of those demands involves coverage that already applies to CareFlight pilots and patients, Coleman said.
“Having us have, for example, accidental death and dismemberment that covers us in the air is something that should be a part of our contract,” she said.
When a CareFlight medical helicopter crashed into power lines and dropped 70 feet in July 2022 while responding to a two-vehicle fatality crash in Butler County, flight nurse Lisa McPhillips found out she only had AD&D coverage while on the ground.
“I sustained severe injuries that had changed my life and the life of my family,” said McPhillips, who was injured in that crash. “I continue to fight for medical care and compensation with workers’ comp.”
McPhillips said she still faces multiple surgeries and procedures, has anxiety she always will be plagued by chronic pain and daily headaches, and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, a diagnosis she said has not been accepted by Premier.
“To provide a world class CareFlight system, you have to provide a world class care to your employees that operate the aircraft and provide patient care,” she said.
The UAW has filed complaints with the National Labor Relations Board involving CareFlight negotiations and Miami Valley Hospital nurses trying to organize.
Read Premier Health’s statement in full:
Our organization is deeply committed to upholding our core values of respect, integrity, compassion, authenticity, and excellence. We believe in fostering an environment built on direct, two-way communication, where we understand and address the daily realities of our caregivers' needs.
Premier Health continues to negotiate in good faith with United Auto Workers for a labor contract covering CareFlight nurses and medics. We have met with the union nearly 20 times and have two additional sessions planned between now and the end of July.
We will continue to work together productively with the common interest of fulfilling our vision of serving our patients and sustaining a culture of mutual support.
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