More than one hundred members of Bargaining Unit 324 mailed back bargaining surveys, in which they voted unanimously in favor of rolling over the current contract for one year.  Other County Unions are also extending their contracts rather than risk bargaining wages and benefits during a recession.  BU 325 will be surveyed on the same issue soon.

The BU 325 rollover, which will preserve current contract language until September 2012, will be put in place within the next few months, well before the expiration of the current contract in September 2011.  This rollover will better protect jobs, salaries, step increases, services and benefits during this challenging political and economic period.  For instance, all doctors not already at the top salary step will continue to receive step increases this year (July 2011) and next year (July 2012) under the agreement.

In other news, the Countywide Joint Labor-Management Committee (JLMC) held its monthly meeting in February.  Representatives from the Sheriff’s Department Employee Relations, a Lieutenant from custody staff, and representatives from the Chief Executive Office Classification and Compensation Unit met with the Union.  Discussion of a plan to enhance recruitment efforts to fill the many vacant physician positions in the Sheriff’s Department has begun.  The department will report back in March on the plan.

Health care reform is placing safety-net systems like that of Los Angeles County at a crossroads.  How will the County retain its patient base as well as serve in an expanded capacity as a “medical home”?  How well will it compete with the private sector for new enrollment?  Thus far County representatives have been vague about how health care reform will affect physicians  and dentists currently working for the County.     As administrators make changes to the county health care system to meet the new federal requirements, UAPD will serve as an important point of  ongoing contact between providers and management.

Last month, Bargaining Unit 325 members completed political surveys that demonstrated their belief that the unit must have a stronger voice in local politics.   The respondents indicated that the Union should support UAPD physicians and dentists that run for public office, as well as other elected officials who demonstrate a willingness to support key issues.    Members called on the Union to launch a strong campaign to defend against the sort of  “pension reform” that attacks the benefits of county workers.  A majority of respondents agreed that BU 325 members should have a way to make voluntary donations  to UAPD’s Medical Defense Fund PAC.  More than 700 UAPD members, most of them employed by the State of California, already make regular contributions to the PAC fund.

UAPD Worksite Leaders met with Director Marvin Southard this month to discuss on-going health and safety problems, including recent cases of doctors being threatened inside the clinic or assaulted outside of it.   Possible solutions include installing panic buttons in key locations. The group also discussed the problem of low doctor morale.  The union offered concrete examples of the sort of management practices that contribute to bad feelings in the workplace.  The union will continue to work on resolving these issues in conjunction with Director Southard.   A survey will be distributed to members to collect additional workplace problems that need to be addressed in future meetings.  Also this month UAPD dentist leaders joined the physicians of Bargaining Unit 324 and representatives from the Sheriffs Department for a joint labor-management meeting. We will be continuing these meeting in the future to try to resolve issues, including the problems with dentist scheduling.

On Wednesday, December 1, 2010 Bargaining Unit 324 union stewards, bargaining team members and worksite leaders met with representatives from the LA County Department of Health Services (DHS) Employee Relations.  The Union and Employee Relations discussed the DHS restructuring initiative and the plan for ambulatory care reform.  The Union team questioned the County’s many contracts with outside physicians, and especially the county code provision that allows outside physician contracts to be used “whenever feasible.”  UAPD and the county set up a plan for regular monthly labor-management meetings moving forward.

On Thursday, December 16, 2010, UAPD members and staff met with Interim Health Services Director John Schunhoff, Ph.D. and his staff.  Dr. Schunhoff talked about the challenges the County faces with health care reform, the County’s plan to deal with these issues, and the impact of reform on several County departments.  The Union questioned him about funding, reimbursement, the existing patient loads, staff shortages, and the possibility that many of our County patients would likely not participate in the “medical home” model laid out by the law.  Dr. Schunhoff has committed to holding a meeting with UAPD and his permanent replacement, Dr. Mitchell Katz, within the next few weeks.

The UAPD team also met with Ann Marinovich, DHS Human Resources Administrator, and discussed the need for on-going labor-management meetings.  Other issues raised with Ms. Marinovich included the lack of promotion opportunity for doctors and our union’s request for a cost-offset for this year’s health insurance premium (to compensate for losing the match for the first half of 2011).

This month, the UAPD staff sent political surveys to Los Angeles County psychiatrist and dentist members.  Please remember to fill it out and send it back.  Los Angeles County is at a crossroads.  The economy will force public officials to make hard choices that directly or indirectly impact all of us.  UAPD needs your input on the various strategies on how to protect your pensions, stop privatization of doctors’ jobs, and resist infringements on scope of practice.  If you have any questions call Christopher Ige at the UAPD office at (310) 398-4038.