Nurses at North Bergen, N.J.-based Palisades Medical Center ratified a contract agreement with Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health after more than six months of negotiations, The Record reported.
The contract covers workers represented by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union. It includes salary increases for nearly 900 workers, ranging from 8 percent to 10 percent over the three-year deal, according to union officials. It also includes the addition of nearly 30 nurses and other healthcare staff at Palisades.
Hospital spokesperson Nancy Radwin told The Record the deal will "align union -represented team members' terms and conditions of employment with other Hackensack Meridian Health team members."
"The new agreements will enable Palisades Medical Center to continue to deliver safe, high quality care for patients and provide sustainable, fair and market-competitive wages and benefits and a positive work environment for team members," she said.
Mickey Miquiabas, leader of the Palisades union local, said members were also pleased.
He told The Record members "have a commitment that the hospital will hire more staff and continue to work with us to improve staffing levels and patient safety standards in our hospital."
According to the report, new hires, which include behavioral health technicians and certified nursing assistants, are expected to be added over the next six months.