Healthcare workers at two Samaritan Health Services hospitals have approved new union contracts, according to hospital and union statements.
The contracts, approved Aug. 6, cover about 600 SEIU Local 49 members at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis, Ore., and Albany (Ore.) General Hospital. Members include emergency room technicians, anesthesia technicians, certified nursing assistants and patient access representatives, housekeepers and dietary staff.
"We worked really hard to gain better wages and the respect we deserve as front-line healthcare workers," Dafne DeSautel, a certified nursing assistant at Good Samaritan, said in a news release. "Our new contract helps bring us in line with other healthcare employers in Oregon. I'm hopeful that this will help us attract and keep good staff at our hospital so we can protect our patients and be better supported."
Under the contracts, Good Samaritan union members will receive an average wage increase of 18 percent over the life of the agreement, and Albany General Hospital union members will receive a 23 percent average wage hike, the union said. Many workers will see an immediate $2 to $3-an-hour raise, the union said.
The contracts also limit the amount management can increase healthcare premiums for workers.
Samaritan praised the agreements, saying: "Our wages and health insurance premiums were extremely competitive in the state prior to this agreement, and we are happy to be able to pass on additional increases to our employees. We look forward to continuing to partner with our employees to build healthy communities in Benton and Linn counties."