We have a benefits package that costs us more and gives less each year. They have come close to bullying us for 2-3 years to get us to say how "satisfied" we are with the company and to that end they are willing to do allot for us, just as long as it doesn't cost much.
Almost every process that we use each and every day from how we take care of our patients and the subsequent documentation, to the staff's continuing education has become much more difficult and time consuming since being acquired by CHS. I do not have the list of major stockholders in front of me but I would be willing to bet my paycheck against Wayne's that his name as well as those of the rest of the company's senior management are close to the top of that list. I say this because that always seems to be the true corporate mission, to maximize profits to the stockholders at all cost.
Last December they decided to pay a $0.25 per share cash dividend to stockholders while every year we get minuscule merit increases if we get an increase at all. We have never had a cost of living increase even though our cost of living has skyrocketed and if we ask for a market analysis comparing our salaries to those at comparable hospitals we are told that they did not budget for any increase, so what would be the point. Now the latest in a long line of reasons why I am so "satisfied" is that I was just informed that they have arbitrarily decided to change the way our shift differentials are payed. This means that even though I will work the same 12 hour shifts that I have worked for years, I will get payed about $ 2000.00 less per
year. I wonder how much Wayne's paycheck is being cut ? I am sure if I said all of this to any of the senior management from Nashville on down to the administration of my own hospital, they would be quick to tell me that in this economy I should just be thankful that I have a job at all.
To this I would respond that I believe that they and most of the rest of their 2% are most responsible for the shape of our economy. I guess that's just one more reason I should thank them right ? To think, I used think that Columbia Health Care was bad to work for.
As far as the question below about the corporation's business outlook goes. Here is what I believe. This corporation will make huge profits for it's stockholders...no matter what it takes.
