Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital and 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East have come to a tentative labor agreement after a three-day strike, a rally, a threat of another strike and an intervention from the governor.
According to a report by The Baltimore Sun, the four-and-a-half year contract includes a minimum wage of $15 for workers with 20 years of experience or more, and workers with 15 years of experience will reach that minimum wage level by 2017. Some union members will get 38 percent raises over the life of the contract, according to the report.
Negotiations, which have been ongoing for months, ended Tuesday morning at 2 a.m. EST.
A Johns Hopkins spokesperson told The Baltimore Sun that hospital officials "are glad we have arrived at a resolution that works for all parties and look forward to continuing our focus on providing world-class patient care."
The contract must still be voted on by 1199 SEIU members, which will take place Thursday and Friday, according to the report. The union represents more than 2,000 service employees at Johns Hopkins Hospital.