On February 12th, UAPD represented physicians were ordered to provide night, weekend, and holiday coverage at EPS, BAP, and Custody Services without prior notice to the Union. UAPD immediately sent the following communication from our attorney to County counsel asking for immediate rescission of those work directives:
UAPD formally demand[s] the County rescind a unilateral change last night of mandating psychiatrists take night shift work starting this Saturday. Last night’s directive was issued without prior notice and bargaining with UAPD and therefore under MMBA needs to be rescinded and the matter negotiated with UAPD first… The County has known of its problem with night shifts and Emcare for many months, and has not dealt seriously with a UAPD proposal many weeks ago for a night premium which would encourage doctors to take these shifts (because it would be closer to the rate prevailing in the Bay Area), and thus any emergency here is of the County’s own creation.
The County’s directive is creating an unsafe situation creating risks for all patients and staff in the area. Accordingly it seems to me the doctors legally might be entitled to refuse to take such unsafe assignments, though obviously no one wants to escalate the dispute here to that level. The County’s representatives should contact Patricia Hernandez at UAPD directly for the purpose of negotiations.”