Nine Nurse’s Aides at the Health and Hospitals Corp.’s Vernon C. Bain Facility in the Bronx were facing the unemployment line when the union stepped in to save their jobs.

“Management wanted to put them on a waiting list to be reassigned,” said Hospitals Division Director Johnnie Locus. “We negotiated an agreement where they would be placed in an HHC facility when those jobs became available in juniority order.”

The nine Local 420 members were also working out of title, doing the jobs of Patient Care Associates. “We’ve been working out of title for a long time,” said Nurse’s Aide Patricia Manuel. Grievance Rep Belford Whitted filed a grievance on their behalf in 2002. The issue was resolved in June when an arbitrator ordered management to pay the difference between their salaries as Nurse’s Aides and the pay of Patient Care Associates.

The first payment will cover the period from the date they filed the grievance, Jan. 30, 2002, through the date of the arbitration award, June 14, 2004. They will each receive the second payment within six to eight weeks following their transfer to another facility.

“We appreciate that this union works hard for us,” said Nurse’s Aide Frances Martino of the victory. “And the Nurse’s Aides here stick together.”