Members of the Windham Federation of Professional Nurses have approved a new contract with their employer that resolves a nearly year-long labor dispute.
The union represents about 100 registered nurses at Windham Hospital in Willimantic, Conn., and its partner medical facilities, according to a Dec. 5 WFPN news release. The hospital is part of Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare.
Union members approved the agreement Dec. 2, about two months after a late September strike. Nurses had been working under their previous contract, which expired Dec. 31, 2021.
The contract addresses recruitment and retention concerns and includes significant economic investments in staff, according to the WFPN news release.
"The overwhelming support for this agreement proves what we've all seen throughout this pandemic; nurses united can never be divided," Andrea Riley, RN, union president, said in the release.
"The road to get here has not been easy, and we're grateful to our patients and the entire region for having our backs every step of the way. Now we can focus on what we do best — delivering the great quality care they deserve," she added.
In a statement shared with WSHU, Hartford HealthCare praised the agreement.
"More than five months ago, the hospital made a fair and equitable offer and outlined what was needed to settle the contract, while addressing the union's issues," Donna Handley, BSN, president of Windham Hospital, said in the statement. "We are pleased that, over the past several months, the union was able to work within the economic framework the hospital proposed on June 29 and reach this agreement."
"We are eager to move ahead, and continue in our mission to serve our community," she added.