Pennsylvania RNs Score Victory for Patient Care
Last year, 550 registered nurses at The Medical Center of Beaver overwhelmingly ratified a new union contract that mandates safer nurse-to-patient ratios and establishes higher wages that'll contribute to lower staff turnover.
The new three-year agreement, ratified by 94 percent of the RNs, significantly improves upon what was already one of the best and most unique nurse contracts in the country.
Even since the RNs formed their union in 2000—when turnover was rampant—working conditions have vastly improved. The RNs won contractual nurse-to-patient ratios, plus the elimination of both mandatory overtime and mandatory cancellation on most of the hospital's largest patient care units.
Now, The Medical Center of Beaver boasts low turnover, virtually no holes in its posted schedules, and limited vacancies. The nurses' latest contract is a victory for continued improvements in patient care, plus a victory for a nursing profession plagued by a nationwide shortage.
Details: In their 2006 contract, the RNs:
» Lowered base RN-to-patient ratios on day and evening shift on med-surg floors to 1:5
» Increased staffing levels in the Emergency Department with a commitment to further increases if ED volume increases, and established first-ever contractual staffing levels for this department
» Won wage increases of 4% now, 4% in July 2007, and 3.5% in July 2008, making TMC RNs among the highest paid nurses in western PA
» Decreased health care premium contributions for part-time RNs by 27% for employee/children and employee/spouse and 34% for employee/family in 2007, with these lower rates then frozen for the life of the contract; modest increases for full time nurses
» Beat back employer proposal to drop employee's spouses from the health care plan if they are offered coverage from another employer or are Medicare eligible
» Won first ever same-sex domestic partner benefits for health care and all other benefits, plus funeral leave
» Increased preceptor pay, call pay, tuition reimbursement, won new language committing Medical Center to cover the cost of the test for employer required professional certifications, won new severance policy
» Won first ever union orientation for new employees, improved union leave provisions and union bulletin boards in every employee lounge on the patient care units
» Won strong waiver from employer protecting against any effort to challenge non-supervisory status of RNs when contract expires
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Pennsylvania RNs Score Victory for Patient Care
Last year, 550 RNs in Beaver, PA struck a victory for patient care by ratifying one of the best nurse contracts in the country. More »
