Registered nurses at San Jose Regional Medical Center and Good Samaritan Hospital, who are represented by the California Nurses Association, have approved a three-year labor deal.
The contract covers 835 nurses at Good Samaritan and 570 nurses at San Jose Regional Medical Center, according to a July 15 union news release. Both hospitals are in San Jose, Calif., and part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.
"We are very pleased that HCA recognized the nurses’ solidarity and commitment to provide the highest quality of care to all our patients," Lydia Gmerek, RN, chief nurse representative and a member of the bargaining team from Good Samaritan, said in the release. "We believe that with the gains made in this contract, we will be able to better recruit and retain experienced nurses and therefore provide high-quality care to our communities."
According to the union, the contract includes:
- An agreement to hire 34 more full-time registered nurses
- A commitment to strengthen preceptor programs
- Wage increases ranging from 17.4 percent to 29.4 percent over the life of the contract
In a statement shared with Becker's, Kelli Wray, DNP, MSN, APRN, chief nursing officer of Good Samaritan, said: "After bargaining since April, we’re pleased that our nurses have ratified the new contract, which provides wage increases consistent with the demands of the local labor market. We look forward to continuing to provide outstanding healthcare for our communities."
Nanette Logan, DNP, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer of Regional Medical Center, said: "Our nurses have worked tirelessly throughout the ongoing challenges of the pandemic and we are extremely grateful for all they do, We continue to demonstrate our commitment to them, our patients and our community with significant wage increases, industry leading safety and protection protocols, aggressive recruitment and retention strategies, as well as clinical training, education and professional development opportunities."
The new agreement runs through June 2025.