May 28, 2004

Dear Colleagues,

Despite a good-faith effort on the part of the Hospital over the past six months to reach a settlement with the District 1199E, SEIU, AFL-CIO, the Union has notified us of its intent to engage in a strike. As required by federal law, the Union has formally announced its plans to stage the strike on Tuesday, June 8, 2004 beginning at 6 a.m. Based on earlier communications from the Union, we expect the strike to be for two days and should conclude at 6 a.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2004.

The Hospital remains committed to resolving these management/labor issues in hopes of avoiding this strike or any other job action by the Union.
In response to the strike, the Hospital will implement the following measures as contingencies:

• All Hospital operations will continue uninterrupted and offices will maintain normal business hours. Managers are strongly encouraged to make every effort to allow employees time off that has been scheduled in advance. However, if no coverage can be found, the manager is authorized to cancel time off scheduled on the day of the strike.
  
  
• While bargaining unit employees have the legal right to strike, the Hospital must take appropriate precautions to protect fellow employees, patients and visitors. Though we do not expect any problems, any acts or vandalism or violence on Hospital property will be addressed immediately by Security. Individuals engaging in illegal conduct may be subject to criminal prosecution.
  
  
• Employees and managers should consult with department strike coordinators with specific questions or contact the Office of HR Consultants and Labor Relations at 955-6783.
  
  
• For more information on the status of negotiations, visit the Labor Relations Web site at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/laborrelations
  

Sincerely,

Pamela Paulk
Vice President, Human Resources
The Johns Hopkins Hospital