Nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas, and Ascension Borgess Allegan (Mich.) Hospital have approved new labor contracts.
The three-year contract at Ascension Seton covers 1,100 registered nurses, including nursing residents and fellows, according to the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United. It is the nurses' first union contract and will expire in March 2027.
According to the union, the agreement includes:
- Minimum staffing ratios that vary across units.
- A professional practice committee, with monthly meetings attended by RNs and management to address solutions for ongoing patient care concerns.
- Standard-setting language on health, safety, and infectious disease and workplace violence prevention.
- An average of over 11% compensation increase, with some receiving as much as a 25.9% increase, over three years.
"We are so proud of this contract that sets enforceable standards for safe staffing, which has always been our number one priority," Zetta Hackleman, RN, said in a union news release. "This contract holds Ascension accountable to enforcing safe nurse-to-patient ratios, which we know saves patient lives and boosts nurse recruitment and retention. It also gives us a formal process through the professional practice committee to regularly advocate on behalf of our patients and our communities."
Ascension shared the following statement with Becker's: "We are pleased Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin registered nurses have ratified their initial RN contract. We have a contract in place that is collaborative, respectful of the diverse needs of our registered nurses, and that will create a solid foundation for a healthy and respectful working relationship.
"We thank our nurses for voting to accept this fair and equitable contract and are eager to move forward together as we continue to care for our community and put the patient at the center of all we do."
At the Ascension hospital in Allegan, Mich., the three-year contract was approved by members of the Michigan Nurses Association March 5, according to the union, which is an affiliate of National Nurses United.
It includes an average raise of 26% over the life of the contract, with some nurses set to receive raises above 30%, union members said in a news release. They said the deal also includes "fairer scheduling practices that will improve work-life balance."
"Being a part of a union gives us a democratic voice and dignity in the workplace," Tina Kaiser, RN, said in the release. "Nurses are creating a movement in Michigan. Each improved contract helps lead to the next improved contract. Together, we are able to make sure that patients come before profits."
Ascension shared the following statement with Becker's: "We thank our Ascension Borgess Allegan Hospital registered nurses for voting to accept this fair and equitable contract. The commitment and dedication our nurses, care teams and support staff have for providing quality, compassionate care to those we are privileged to serve in southwest Michigan is unparalleled."