Nurses at Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pa., have ratified a new five-year contract with the hospital.
Here are six things to know about the new contract.
1. Nurses, which are represented by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, ratified the new contract with a vote of 287-39, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.
2. Current nurses will not see a reduction in base salary rate as a result of the new contract. However, there will be a one-year wage freeze and the contract contains a new wage scale.
3. Under the new contract, the Defined Benefit Pension Plan will be permanently frozen as of July 31, 2015 and all eligible nurses will enter the Defined Contribution Plan, according to Springfield, Pa.-based Crozer-Keystone Health System, of which Crozer-Chester is a member.
4. Retiree medical, life insurance and sick bank payout will also end, and nurses will enter the same medical insurance plan as other Crozer-Keystone employees.
5. The contract does not include new provisions on nurse staffing or ratios for hospital units. However, the hospital did agree to add a multidisciplinary transport team to assist in monitoring patients when they leave their rooms for diagnostic testing.
6. The new contract expires June 9, 2019.
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