It is time to unionize before it's too late
Posted By: Union NOW on 2008-12-21
In Reply to:
After reading a post about how greedy MTs are to expect more than $0.05 per line, to expect a gesture of appreciation at Christmas, I must post this.
====================================
It is JUST THAT TYPE OF ATTITUDE, and total acceptance of VR, EMR, and pitifully low pay that have caused MTs to be kicked into the respectless extinction we now face. It is because of MT's like the GRATEFUL poster with the THANK YOU FOR MY PAYCHECK, KIND SIR sweatshop attitude, that we find ourselves with salaries/hourly/line pay having been cut by 60%, and we are looked upon as mere clerical workers instead of the medical language and computer specialists that we actually are.
Some of us work from home so we can be there for our children or grandchildren, some want to transcribe without having to deal with the politics of an in-house staff, there are others who are physically handicapped and work from home as it is the least painful and most sensible option.
But a small faction of MTs spout ridiculous self-depricating platitudes that we should all be grateful for receiving even a pittance of a paycheck, and a late paycheck, at that, and not expect to be rewarded for dedication and excellence, disregarding the fact that many of us work 10-12 hours per day now to earn what we were able to earn in 4 hours 5 years ago. The MTSO's and hospital HIM administrators never stood up for us; they sold us out to VR and EMR, yet the GRATEFUL faction would have us believe that we do not DESERVE anything more, and that expecting to be recognized for dedication and job excellence is nothing more than shameful greed. THEY COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH, and the members of the GRATEFULS are slowly ruining this profession with our silent blessing, because we are allowing them to. The members of this faction, as well as the MTSO owners and hospital members that did not come to our defense, but instead embraced VR and EMR to make the last of their money as our trade was being made extinct, those are the folks that have contributed to the extinction of our trade. Do any of you know lobbyists who fought to keep medical records in the US? Most likely not, and the members of the GRATEFUL faction may be jaded and void of self-respect, willing to work for 60% less pay and grateful to receive a pittance for their services, but I am not, and neither should you be. We work hard for what little we receive, and we need to gather our forces and strengths and stand together against the extinction of our careers.
Unless extinction of our trade is the goal, Medical Language Specialists and CMT's cannot continue to allow medical facilities and MTSO's to manipulate by fear. MTs must be allowed to speak out without fear of losing jobs. If we do not unionize, or at least organize and agree on boundaries very soon, our industry will never recover. VR/EMR will replace us totally IF WE LET IT. These facilities and MTSO's CANNOT outsource/offshore or jump from full transcription to VR without transition, and THEY CANNOT TRANSITION WITHOUT MTS TO EDIT.
We are the ones who edit the VR reports and I don't know how many of you know this, but in doing so, we are actually TRAINING THE VR SYSTEMS TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE WORDS THAT IT DIDN'T CATCH THE FIRST TIME AROUND WHEN NEXT THE DOCTOR MUMBLED THEM INTO THE MICROPHONE, AND THIS ALLOWS THEM TO MOVE FORWARD AT A HEADY PACE TO TOTAL VR WITH NO EDITORS. We laugh about the hilarious mistakes perpetrated by VR, but we are actually help perfect it by editing. Soon there will be no editing to be done.
The GRATEFUL FOR A PITIFUL PAYCHECK faction have made us all look like groveling idiots, willing to silently accept AND BE GRATEFUL FOR, a $0.05 per line pittance to edit VR. We must set boundaries, stand up for ourselves, put guidelines in place and STICK TO THEM, refusing to work for MTSO's or facilities for $0.05 a line for VR editing, without fear as we really have very little to lose at this point, but it is not too late to turn this death of a trade into a rebirth.
We MUST stand up for ourselves, our voices louder than the GRATEFUL FOR ANY KIND OF PAYCHECK faction, as they are actually cutting off their own noses to spite the rest of us, and the days of AAMT are over. ADHI will not help us, as they support not only offshore but VR/EMR, as well. ADHI’s views are counterproductive to US MTs now, as they clearly embrace off-shore, VR, and EMR in totality, and are of absolutely no use or help to Jane Doe, CMT.
In Michigan and Indiana the union is almost in place; final legalities are being settled quietly, and I advise the rest of you, if you want to continue transcribing for a living, to continue to make a decent salary doing what you chose as a career, if you want to be paid what you deserve, if you want to see your daughters take up this trade before it is extinct, you need to unite. Facilities and MTSO's are counting on continuance of MT silence, acceptance and complacency, along with PAYCHECK GRATEFULNESS to keep us in line, at their beck and call, on their terms, cutting our pay and benefits, running remote sweatshops and reaping the benefits as they quickly invest in other businesses because they see the end of the trail for transcription. They count on the fact that we will continue gather in places like this, arguing amongst ourselves, whining about low pay and no benefits, while doing absolutely nothing to reverse our plight.
Unite while we still have the power to command better salary and stop the eradication of our trade, because the scales are slowly tipping against us.
Don't be grateful for the pig swill they're tossing our way. We are intelligent, talented, skilled tradespeople and we deserve much better than what we receive.
There are clerical workers with less skills than MTs, and they’ve unionized and have won mediations and settlements. It is possible. We can save this industry for ourselves.
If you have had enough, if you have even a a modicum of self-respect left, have not been dehumanized to the point of no return, and have a sense of the injustice over what we’ve endured for the past 6 to 8 years, please visit the soon-to-be opened web site of USMLSU (United States Medical Language Specialists Union Initiative). You can email them at contact.us at usmlsu.org for information.
The following states have local chapters: Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. If you are in a state not mentioned here, please choose someone from your state to represent you by emailing the USMLSU.
I hope to start seeing many of you at meetings, and organizing your own. The time is now.
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Work but VERY late pay every time
Ok guys, I need some advice. I have been working with this particular person on one of her accounts for over six years...never had any problems with pay, now suddenly every time it is payday it is either late coming in the mail, or now the check is here, but they ask me not to deposit because they dont have the money to cover it. I dont know what recourse I have or what to do. I want to hold work, tell them to stick it or something but this is the highest paying work that I do. I do have other accounts of my own, but not ready to go it all on my own as of yet. What would you do? I feel like I'm stuck any way I turn.
You'll have too much down time and their Indian techs are IN India! Pay is late, too. nm
s
I did to. Work late shift and did not check msg in time. Hope to get recap
nm
PS, and to all the MTs who think we ought to unionize
since all we ever seem to do is attack and fight with each other, how well do you think that will work?
Unionize
It is time for all MT's to Unionize! Why not the nurses did it!
Those wanting to unionize should probably
Friday, July 18, 2008
When management becomes unreasonable, when benefits shrink and get more expensive at the same time, and when the average salary increase is way
less than the inflation rate, here’s something you can do: Form a union.
And on Long Island, you wouldn’t be alone. Just don’t let management know what you’re up to – it could get you in trouble.
There are already 650,000 construction workers, teachers and grocery and health care workers in unions on Long Island today, and as economic conditions
worsen, some employees are hoping to take cover by turning to organized labor.
John Durso, president of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW and the Long Island Federation of Labor, said frustrated employees generally meet off-site to air their
grievances without fear of retribution.
“Sometimes they just want to get things off their chest, want somebody to listen,” Durso said.
Sometimes, however, it’s a lot more than that. If one-third of the employees sign on to join the union, an election is held and a petition is filed with the
National Labor Relations Board.
And that often leads to a fight.
It shouldn’t, Durso said. He said in the best circumstances, unions and employers work as partners to make a company better.
“It doesn’t make any sense for a union to make it so unworkable that an employer cannot grow or expand,” Durso said. “If you have the right attitude, the
right work environment, there’s no reason why an employer and a union cannot work together.”
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Companies faced with negotiating contracts with unions could stall, because if a deal isn’t reached within a year,
the union needs to be recertified.
“Nothing in law requires them to reach a contract. They are just required to negotiate in good faith,” said Bruce Millman, an attorney with Melville employment
law firm Littler Mendelson, representing employers.
To fight the stalling, unions are pushing federal lawmakers to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier to form a union. It would also
force binding arbitration in case of an impasse, thus eliminating stall tactics.
But Bob Archer, managing partner of Melville’s Archer, Byington, Glennon and Levine, which represents labor and employee benefits clients in the building
trades, entertainment and service industries, said he doesn’t expect the Employee Free Choice Act to pass under a Republican president.
Not all contracts stall, however, and once a first contract is reached, the union is official. Then members need only to pay a set amount of dues each year.
In 2004, the latest year with complete data, dues nationwide averaged $377 per month.
Another interesting note: Long Island’s unions are becoming more white collar.
For instance, adjunct professors at Stony Brook University and New York University recently became union employees, said Tom Conoscenti, chief
economist for the Long Island Contractors Association and the Long Island Builders Institute.
He said the adjuncts formed a union to receive amenities such as offices, a pension plan and health benefits.
Joining a union has hardly led to the elimination of “the struggle.” Traditional blue-collar industries, such as construction and plumbing, are feeling the
pressure of undocumented workers taking what had been union jobs, Archer said.
“That is an X factor that we have not seen in the past,” Archer said. “It’s more of an issue of competing against employers that use unregulated workers.”
Those employers are seeking cheaper labor, especially when prices for land, and subsequent property taxes, on Long Island are among the highest in the
nation.
The politics of labor has stretched from the Suffolk County Legislature to Albany.
For example, Hauppauge-based Bactolac Pharmaceuticals recently battled the unions and the Legislature over building a new headquarters at the
Hauppauge Industrial Park. The unions and supportive legislators wanted the company to hire contractors who paid a prevailing, or union, wage in exchange
for $6 million in state Empire Zone benefits.
Although the company originally balked, it eventually gave in, holding numerous meetings with union officials and promising to offer each contractor a fair
shake.
Also, the teachers union has played a large role in fighting a plan to create a 4 percent property tax cap, Conoscenti said.
The Commission for Property Tax Relief originally pitched the tax-cap proposal in May. Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi headed that group. The
proposal was endorsed by Gov. Paterson, but faced strident opposition from other New York leaders, including Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheldon
Silver of Manhattan.
I think our chance to unionize has come and gone,
the current perks big companies get for offshoring American jobs. No, offshoring can't be stopped (unfortunately), but instead of being rewarded, companies should have to PAY for it as a privilege, not a right. That way, companies who truly NEED offshore workers could do so, for a price. But it should be more cost-effective for MTSOs to use American MT labor, even with the pay we deserve, rather than what we're currently getting, than to use foreign labor. Right now, they're having their cake and eating it too, at America's expense.
I don't think it'd work just to unionize here. Timing's wrong. SM
Actually, the phrase Pissing into the wind, comes to mind. Once the folks offshore competing for the same work unionize, then maybe. (Did you notice that successful unions are for lines of work that can't be sent offshore? Inability to replace workers is key.) And once EMRs come into widespread use here in the States and a new workforce has transitioned around them, maybe. Being an optimist, I also like to think that countries with new growing middle classes will start producing, not only more demand for middle class wages, but plenty of local work too generated from people who will also get to benefit from this amazing medical revolution we're all part of. In the meantime, identifying and training for a position in the medical information field or another that will/should have decent-paying work in the future would be a good idea for any of us. Anyway, that's what I think.
Too little, too late? It is never too late. I am one person, true, but together
Let me tell what this ONE person achieved on her own and then you can imagine what many of us can do if we stand together.
Two years ago, I was working as an MT for a local hospital. One day, we were told that our overflow was going to be outsourced to one of the nationals, just the discharge summaries and not even all of those. Two months after they told us that lie, they called is in one by one and fired us because they were outsourcing the entire dept because it was cost effective. The service they were using was a very large national who I happened to know had a reputation of offshoring. And I just knew because our little hospital had easy as pie dictators with maybe 4 out of a staff of 200 that were ESL, our work would most definitely be one of the accounts offshored.
I was angry! Oh, they offered us jobs at the service and told us we would definitely be working on our hospital, but I'm no fool and I knew it would be a matter of time before we were forced to take secondary accounts which would eventually become our primary accounts and our little hospital would just disappear from our queues.
I refused the job with the service on moral grounds. I refused to work for a company that offshored. And then I decided to channel my anger and outrage into something proactive. I wrote letters to every newspaper in my area. Every small farming community newspaper this hospital served, and the big city newspaper in the big city close by. I never dreamed that anyone would pay attention at one woman's rantings. But a funny thing happened. My letter was printed in more than one of the papers I sent it to, and reporter from one of the larger newspapers called me and asked if I would do an interview. I said absolutely.
Long story short, they did the interview and then interviewed the administrator of the hospital. They put him in the hot seat and asked him about offshoring health information to India. He had no definitive answers to give except that he would have to look at the contract and make sure that it was stipulated that his hospital's work was not sent over seas.
It was a small triumph, but I took some satisfaction in it. Two weeks after that and just when I thought all the hoopla had died on my little letter, another letter appeared in the newspaper -- from an HIM director at another local hospital who said as a result of reading my letter and interview, that she had received a number of calls from concerned people asking if their medical information was being sent and transcribed overseas. She wanted to write the letter just to set the record straight that her hospital employed their own MTs and did not outsource to a service nor did they offshore any of their work to third-world countries.
And I'm still not done. Still a few weeks later another letter in the big city paper was printed from another HIM director assuring the community that her hospital employed its own American MTs and did not outsource or offshore.
Now, everything has quieted down since then, but I managed to ruffle some feathers and make a point, and if I (one person, one middle-aged work-at-home mother of two) can cause that much ruckus -- think what a whole bunch of us can do.
I think we, as a group, need to take control of our industry and our career destiny and do something. Maybe march on Washington DC protesting the offshoring of American jobs -- not just ours, but ALL American jobs that are being offshored. There are more Americans out of work and losing work to third-world countries and corporate greed than just MTs! Our government needs to hear our voices! We need to MAKE ourselves be heard!
Instead of sitting back and pasting little smiley faces in our posts and saying good luck with that we need to come together. There is no room for MTs willing to accept lower wages, no room for MTs whose hearts bleed for our third-world counterparts, and no room for MTs who want to sit back and do nothing, but reap the benefits when the strong win the battle. We've reached a critical turning point and it's time to take up the cause and change the future.
Never late, not even once. (sm)
I have direct deposit and Precyse has never ever been late depositing my check, not even once. How long ago did your friend work there?
Yu are a bit late...
oh boy.. i have to chuckle at this, this woman's trying to drum up business for her husband..
Too late.
They were never late with my pay.
Their accounts were super easy, too. I just could not get enough lines there to make it worthwhile.
OK. So why were they late?
Was it an error on their part? Did it only happen once? Did you forget to fill out your timecard? Was it the first paycheck on direct deposit that always comes as a check instead? You can't just say a company pays late or doesn't pay PTO without explaining WHY.
Late Pay
I am another ExBreitner. You are absolutely correct in everything you said about Breitner. Not only were they late but the amounts were incorrect. For the happy employee of 2 1/2 years ---- I know for a fact that you don't even check your line count and compare it to your paycheck. When I worked there, the only happy employees were the ones who didn't need to work for a living, so whatever pay they received they were happy ------- whether it was correct or not. Glad I'm outta there!
They certainly DO pay late!
I've been shorted twice and finally quit after NOT receiving a paycheck at all!!!
sometimes pay is late. nm
nm
Never late here
I've been using direct deposit for years and have never had a problem. In fact, my checks are always deposited the night before payday. I love DD.
TTS and late pay
I have the posts about late pay from TTS (not TransTech). Could someone currently working for them tell me how many times in the past 2 to 3 months the pay has been late. Me personally, if I am to get paid on Friday and it does not show up until Monday that 2 to 3 days is not horrible, not great, but not horrible considering some companies I have worked for have been late by weeks and not a few days. Am not trying to stir anyone up just trying to get a fair time span to go by. Thanks.
Might be too late, but please sm.
I am new to MDI-MD, but have been wondering if people are cherrypicking or not. Sometimes I get a bit frustrated, but I can't prove it. How the heck do they do that on a Lanier system?? Would QA or liason do anything about it if I complained?
Late as well
No timesheet, no pay.
never late
My check has never been late in 2 years. Two times my timesheets have been late, but they always emailed me and I got it in and got paid.
The TAT was very, very late.
This company seems very disorganized. The person who trains is very scatter-brained. Very hard to catch up with her to get a straight answer about anything. They need to have real production supervisors in place instead of having the trainer, the CFO and other folks trying to manage the workflow. Paying a supe a salary is a lot more cost-effective than losing the account altogether.
Never too late
to pull the IRS card, fill out form online for IRS to investigate IC or emp status, even if years ago, and employees receive retroactive pay, in-depth audits will be performed, and lots of other good stuff can be found.
too late now
Well, I do not think there is anything that I can do now. As far as what school I have chosen. I am about to graduate. However, I will most defiantely look into the ADHI. I didnt know the school enrolled you in this til last week. They sent a letter out to those about to graduate.
Late pay
This is highly unprofessional of them and they should not be in business. Employees checks should come first. Sounds as if they are paying themselves first. I would quit them and good riddance!!! Who needs people like that?
--- " until it's too LATE."
nm
Late paychecks. sm
Company I work for always behind. Paydays supposed to be 1st and 15th, and pay from 2 weeks behind. Invoice on 1st is paid the 15th. They now say payday is 4th and 20th without saying anything ahead of time. With wait on first class mail, I average a paycheck about every 25 days. It is terrible.
disgusted with late pay
I SO AGREE WITH YOU. This wouldn't be tolerated in any other kind of business, retail, contractor, service, firm, etc. If they can't afford you, then they lay you off. They shouldn't try to stiff you out of your payroll check! What a loser!
Amp not late with mine either!
worked there 6 months and have never been late - have a few other complaints, but hopefully those will be fixed in time....
Amphion never late with my pay
x
yep - late direct dep is a BIG no-go for me
Yep, I would go bonkers with late pay esp if it is direct deposit. Definitely a sign of internal problems and TOTALLY unacceptable to me. Mailed checks have an excuse, but direct deposit never has one. I have very limited free time and need to schedule when I will do things and if my pay is late it screws up my entire week.
Another reason I am glad I did not get hired there.
That should be-thought-yes, it's late. nm
nm
I'm there over a year, never late NM
NM
It was late, was just trying to get message across.
x
A little too late - doncha think?
x
Not only do they pay late, the amount of the
checks are incorrect and it takes forever to resolve the issue with accounting. I even talked with the owner of the company a couple of times because of incorrect and/or late paychecks. Nothing ever changed, so I left. Beware!
No late payments here, either. nm
s
Late pay. Did either of you get paid yet? nm
nm
Come on... they're not even late yet
You do know they don't have to be mailed until 1/31, right?
But they're known for being late with your pay. nm
s
There was only ONE ad of late about a month ago
/
Kinda of late to run away when most of
us were KICKED OUT.
Late paychecks
Small MTSO's sometimes use company funds to pay their personal bills as well, so if they have a lot of bills or something unexpected happens, there goes the payroll money!
You are years too late for that. nm
late work
It's probably me and other late night'ers working and clearing it out while the dictation is slow, along with all those people who have to work late to get their lines because the work wasn't there in the morning.
It was late and I made a typo. When you
start signing my paycheck, then I will worry about typos on this board. Get a life!
Any employer who is late or gets the pay wrong better think twice
about what they are doing. If you think word does not get out, it does. The statement this poster made about paying well rings true. I know several people who work for one very popular MT service that is supposed to pay well who never get paid on the day they are supposed to or the pay is always wrong (this service is not mentioned in this thread) and their reason for staying is that their pay is so good. I say ditto what this poster is saying. If you have to pay late fees and such what good is good pay? I know a couple of people who are always worried about whether they are going to get paid on time and if it is, if it will be right. There is something wrong with this picture and no, I will not mention the service but it has not been mentioned in this thread.
Amphion pays late and does not pay PTO
nm
RE: Breitner late paychecks
I have worked for BTS for 2 1/2 years now and NEVER has BTS been late with my check or deducted lines. They pay for exactly what they said they would pay when I was hired. You have to take into consideration the mail system. BTS can't do anything about that. Why didn't you opt for direct deposit? It's a wonderful and sure thing. My money has ALWAYS been there on time every time.
YES, BTS is hiring and I strongly recommend them. I have been there for 2 1/2 years and have NEVER run out of work. If I'm low (which is very rare) I'm given another account to help with. The account manager is very understanding and accommodating if you have sick kids, appointments or whatever. I've worked for sevral MT companies and I have to say this is the best one that I've found. Thank you BTS  . Oh I must add, I have recieved a Christmas gift every year too along with something for MT week.
oops, would "look it up" - getting late
.
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