Registered nurses at Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka (Calif.) and at Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna, Calif., have approved a new labor contract.
The contract covers more than 560 nurses, who are represented by the California Nurses Association, according to a news release. Union members approved the deal Aug. 24 after bargaining with the hospitals since May.
"We negotiated assertively to improve working conditions and make wages competitive," James Ladika, RN, chief nurse representative and negotiating team member at St. Joseph, said in the release. "Most of the RNs' priorities we advocated for were addressed, including the addition of a weekend differential, limits on floating RNs to other departments, and language improvements around PTO usage."
According to the union, the contract includes designated break nurses, a better floating system, improved non-discrimination and harassment language, and 18 percent wage increases across the board over three years. It also includes increased weekend, preceptor and on-call rates.
Naydu Lucas, DNP, MSN, chief nursing officer of the hospitals, shared the following statement with Becker's: "We want to acknowledge and thank all the team members from our hospitals and CNA who worked together to create a fair and equitable contract. Together, we will continue to carry out our mission of providing compassionate, safe and leading-edge care to our patients, their families and our community."
The contract runs through July 21, 2026.