In June of 2014 a dispute arose between Teamsters Local 776 and The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, after the Medical Center, without bargaining or even notice to their Union, imposed a policy that restricted the number of overtime hours that non medical employees could work, even when additional overtime was available and the employees had volunteered in advance to perform it. Several Teamster 776 member employees filed Grievances under their CBA. Unable to resolve the Grievances in the pre arbitration steps of the grievance procedure, Local 776 Business Agent Dave Vrona, with the approval of the Local 776 Executive Board moved the case to arbitration, the contractually agreed upon method of dispute resolution between the Union and the Medical Center.

On December 15, 2015 an Arbitration hearing was held in Hershey PA, both sides presented testimony, oral arguments, examined and cross-examined witnesses and submitted documentary evidence into the record. After Arbitrator Mastriani heard the testimony and reviewed all the evidence he issued the following award:

“The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center violated the collective bargaining agreement when it adopted the June 2014 policy limiting overtime hours to twenty (20) hours per week. The Center shall rescind the June 2014 policy and return to the contractual method of overtime assignment that has been used in the past. Employees who were denied the opportunity to work additional overtime that they normally would have worked but for the twenty (20) hours per week limitation on overtime hours shall be made whole for the losses suffered as a result of the denial of overtime work they would have worked and at the rate of pay they normally would have received for such work”

Teamsters Local 776 President Edgar Thompson, in commenting on the final and binding decision said, "When the Hershey Medical Center implemented this policy, without negotiation with our Union, it dramatically restricted our members' earning capacity; in this day and age every dollar counts and our Medical Center members work hard for every dollar they earn! Our members at HMC are very dedicated employees and some have to work overtime just to make ends meet, so when HMC imposed this policy, it created many issues for our members and we are committed to fight to protect our members' rights and make sure that the contracts we negotiate on behalf of our members are followed. In this case, the Medical Center attempted to ignore the plain language that they had agreed to, in writing, when they changed the overtime availability and distribution rules so our Union stepped in to assure their rights were protected. Local 776 Business Agent Dave Vrona, Stewards Doug Miller and Tom Bender, Member Richard Sitler, and Legal Counsel Irwin Aronson did an excellent job preparing and presenting this case; it is a huge win for all of our members at HMC and for collective bargaining rights."

Teamsters Local 776 is requesting that all Members at HMC review their payroll records back to June 2014, and if you were denied overtime opportunities, due to the fact that you reached the impermissible 20 hour limit, Contact Business Agent Dave Vrona at the Union Hall immediately. (717) 233-8766.

To download, view, and print the complete decision and award follow the link below:

HMC overtime arbitration decision 2016