The history of union representation at El Camino Hospital dates back to 1966. PRN formed out of the ECH Staff Nurses' Association in1979. Beginning in 1998 ECH and PRN have used Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB) as our negotiating format. We have been extremely successful in addressing issues faced by the RNs and the Hospital.

Now PRN represents the RNs at ECH Los Gatos campus as well as the Mountain View campus. We are very pleased and honored to provide leadership and support to the RNs at both hospitals. We need RNs from both campuses to join the bargaining process on a new 2010 contract. RNs can do this by attending the PRN Negotiating Committee in January (see ANNOUCEMENTS).

The IBB process depends on both parties identifying interests, issues, needs, wants and desires related to the RNs' work life at ECH. The PRN Negotiating Team will be identified from the committee. We need input from RNs working at Mountain View and at Los Gatos to identify what we need to discuss and resolve in negotiations.

Bargaining will start in February, 2010. Our current contract expires on March 20, 2010. Everything in the contract is up for renegotiations. Please come to the meeting in January or send information to the Negotiating Committee via the Negotiations Feedback e-mail address at PRN.Negotiations@att.net.

If you can make the meeting in January, please e-mail Pat Briggs at PRNurse@att.net and provide your name, unit, home e-mail address and home phone number.

See you at the Negotiating Committee meeting in January and I look forward to your negotiating e-mails.