Nurses at the University of Illinois Health system, part of the University of Illinois Chicago, have reached a tentative labor contract after a four-day strike.
The Illinois Nurses Association, which represents about 1,700 registered nurses at UI Health, announced the four-year agreement on Nov. 16, according to statements from the health system and the union shared with Becker's.
The strike, which began on Nov. 13, marked the second nurse strike at UI Health since August. Nurses returned to work on Nov. 17.
"The nurses of UI Health were prepared to strike as long as it took," the union said in its statement.
"As it turned out, it took four days of striking while negotiating deep into the night to reach a tentative agreement with the hospital's management on their collective bargaining agreement. The [INA] bargaining team is 'thrilled' with the deal that has been struck and believe that it will lead to a better staffed and safer hospital that can attract nursing talent from across the city."
The deal includes improvements to hospital safety protocols; significant pay increases; greater bedside nurse input in staffing decisions; and an agreement between UI Health and nurses to jointly request the health system board increase parental leave for all of its workers, according to the INA.
Nurses are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement on Nov. 19.
"Details of the tentative agreement will be available after it has been ratified by the union's membership," UI Health said in its statement.
"The tentative agreement is the result of extensive discussions and negotiations by all parties and a commitment to reaching a fair and mutually beneficial contract. In the end, both sides worked to reach positions that are beneficial for staff, the university, the hospital and clinics, and, most importantly, our patients and community.
"UI Health values the critical role our nurses play in fulfilling our mission and providing our patients with exceptional care, outcomes and experiences."