Registered nurses at Allegheny General Hospital on Monday approved a new three-year contract that will provide raises and improve nurse-to-patient ratios.
Cathy Stoddart, president of the nurses' union, issued a statement saying that an "overwhelming majority" of the 1,300 nurses supported the deal reached with management late last week.
"Throughout these negotiations, we have remained focused on two goals: making sure there are always enough nurses at the bedside for our patients, and that our input is respected in care-delivery decisions,” Ms. Stoddart said. "This contract achieves those goals, and we’re looking forward to the improvements in patient care that come with it.”
While specific dollar figures were not released, the contract is said to also raise hiring rates for nurses, provide longevity increases for experienced nurses, improve pension and retirement benefits, and maintain health care benefits for nurses.
Dan Laurent, a spokesman for AGH, issued a statement saying, "We are pleased to have reached a fair and competitive agreement with our nurses at AGH. This contract is reflective of the commitment by both sides of the negotiating table to establish mutually acceptable terms in a productive and professional manner. It was driven by a collective desire to do what’s best for our patients, for the hospital and for the community."
Ms. Stoddart said, "Nurses at the hospital know that these provisions in the new contract will make Allegheny General Hospital the employer of choice for RNs in the region, enhancing to recruit and retain nurses, an issue that has become essential in the highly competitive Pittsburgh health care market."
The nurses are members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania and have been negotiating the new contract since July. The current contract expired Oct. 13.
"We know that AHN will be leading in this region in both patient safety and highest quality of care with these investments for patients and nurses in our union contract," Ms. Stoddart said. "This contract is an open invitation for nurses to come apply at AGH because we have created a better work environment where nurses are respected and rewarded for the care we give.”
First Published: October 31, 2017, 2:06 a.m.