Contract talk issues are misrepresented in ad

As chief nursing officer at Bonner General Hospital and a hospital representative in nursing contract negotiations with the Teamsters, I know first-hand we are working diligently to produce a contract that is fair to our registered nurses and allows the hospital to provide quality healthcare to area residents.

This is why I was so disheartened to see the misrepresentations made by the Teamsters in a paid advertisement last week.

The Teamsters claimed that BGH settled charges with the National Labor Relations Board regarding BGH's discrimination against nurses and unfair discipline of nurses. This is untrue. At no time have the Teamsters charged BGH with discriminating against or unfairly disciplining its nurses.

In August 2007, the Teamsters filed charges against BGH regarding meeting times for negotiations, bargaining practices, our solicitation policy and questioning nurses about union activities. Following the NLRB's investigation, each of these charges was either dismissed based on lack of merit, or was resolved in an informal settlement agreement mutually agreed upon by all parties.

The nurses at BGH provide exceptional care and are dedicated to their profession. I am proud to call them my colleagues. The hospital remains steadfast in its commitment to negotiate a contract that is equitable and that will ensure the continued availability of quality hospital services. However, misleading ads by the Teamsters are counterproductive to this effort.

SUSAN MONTGOMERY, RN, MHA

Bonner General Hospital

Sandpoint