Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Calif., reached a contract agreement with nurses represented by Service Employees International Union Local 121RN.
The three-year agreement covers nurses at Los Robles Hospital, West Hills (Calif.) Hospital and Medical Center, and Riverside (Calif.) Community Hospital, according to a Camarillo Acorn report. The union in a statement said it includes a 3.25 percent across-the-board pay increase for each contract year; a 50-cent per hour increase to on-call pay; and "improved workload language, including adherence to nurse-to-patient ratios." The contract also includes the creation of a break and meal period relief pool, as well as the creation of an additional full-time break relief nurses.
Gayle Batiste, president of SEIU Local 121RN reacted positively to the agreement.
"Just days before the Christmas holiday, the hospital made important movement on nurses' demands, including sitting down with nurses to discuss the amount of support staff," she said in a written statement to the Camarillo Acorn. "Our new contract also sets up a system to provide coverage during meal breaks, which helps prevent nurses from being out of state-mandated nurse-to-patient ratios."
Los Robles spokesperson Adam Blackstone said in the report the agreement is "fair to our staff (and) the hospital and enables Los Robles Hospital to continue to deliver outstanding patient care."
More articles on human capital and risk:
University of California workers picket for new contract at hospital campuses statewide
Former Detroit Medical Center employee claims firing was retaliation for union activities
Sodexo employees at Tenet hospital in California set to strike Thursday