Registered nurses at three California hospitals operated by Renton, Wash.-based Providence Health and Services have reached a tentative contract with hospital officials, according to a Daily Breeze report.
Here are four things to know about the tentative agreement.
1. The pact affects Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center San Pedro, Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance and Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica.
2. At Saint John’s Santa Monica, all RNs will receive pay increases of at least 22 percent over the four years of the agreement, with some earning as much as a 30 percent pay increase based on pay equity adjustments, according to the nurses, who are represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. All Torrance RNs will earn increases of at least 12 percent over four years, with larger amounts based on years of service, plus a signing bonus. Pay increases for San Pedro RNs range up to 9.5 percent over the life of their agreement.
3. In addition, the contract settlement calls for improved patient care, including limits on mandatory overtime to reduce the chance of medical errors, limits on nurses working outside of their areas of expertise and the creation of professional practice committees to make sure nurses can communicate patient safety concerns to hospital management, according to the Daily Breeze. The contract also establishes scheduling rules and layoff protections.
4. The agreements must be ratified by the RNs who will vote on the proposed agreement in membership meetings next week.
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