Staff from Rio Rancho-based University of New Mexico Sandoval Regional Medical Center-A Campus of UNM Hospital ratified a union contract Oct. 13, addressing staffing ratios and wages.
Here are six notes on the deal.
1. The United Health Professionals of New Mexico, which includes nurses and other healthcare workers, said the contract was the first step to improve working conditions and patient healing at the hospital, according to an Oct. 13 news release from the union.
2. The contract includes the creation of a committee that will explore ways to improve working conditions, including safe staffing ratios. It also includes a 3% wage increase, effective Oct. 13, according to a release from Albuquerque-based UNM Health.
3. In addition, the contract focuses on job protections and prohibition of the hospital from changing benefits and working conditions without union negotiation, according to the union release.
4. It will cover about 400 nurses and other health professionals at the hospital, according to a previous news release.
5. Bargaining between the hospital and the union began Sept. 18 and the teams met nine times before the agreement was reached. A tentative agreement was reached Oct. 10, the previous release said.
6. So-called "as-needed" or pro re nata employees are included in the agreement, although the hospital and union are waiting for a district court judge's final ruling to decide whether they can be included in the bargaining unit, given that New Mexico law states only regular employees can lawfully be included, the system release said.