OAKLAND, Calif., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center registered nurses represented by the California Nurses Association (CNA) ratified a new two-year contract in voting held yesterday. The new contract provides more than 1600 Alta Bates Summit Registered Nurses with significant enhancements to their wages and benefits, as well as an historic commitment by Alta Bates Summit to transition to a predominately all-Registered Nurse staff.
By the end of this new contract, the average benefited registered nurse will make more than $57 per hour, resulting in a full time equivalent of more than $118,000 per year. Also included are fully paid health benefits for the nurse and his/her family/domestic partner, a medical-center funded retirement plan, fully paid healthcare benefits upon retirement, and great training and education opportunities.
Viki Ardito, RN, Chief Nursing Officer said, "As a premier medical center, Alta Bates Summit is staffed with the very best nurses. We've always been committed to providing wages, benefits and a workplace environment that are second to none. That's exactly what we've provided our nurses with this new contract."
"We are pleased that Alta Bates Summit nurses joined the medical center in putting patients first. We worked hard together to negotiate a contract without a strike," Ardito added.
Full components of the medical center's offer include: -- RN Staffing -- Medical center agreed to hire RN's into all open, non-relief licensed nurse positions in medical/surgical units, emergency departments, women and infant units and critical care units -- committing to a plan to transition to an all RN staff in these units. -- Ratification Bonus of up to $2,000 for benefited and non-benefited employees -- Wage increases of 12% over two years. -- A new 25 Year Tenure Step with 2% increase over current 20-year step to reward long-term nurses. -- Creation of 50 New .6 FTE Positions for nurses who wish to work less than full time, but also receive benefits. -- Limit on use of traveler nurses -- Provide staff nurses access to additional shifts prior to scheduling travelers. Offer employment to travelers before extending contract. CNA may deny extension of contracts. -- 100% Employer-Paid Medical Benefits -- for nurses, their spouses/partners and their dependents. -- Retiree Health Benefits to pay the healthcare premiums for nurses and their spouses upon retirement from the medical center. -- Relief Charge Pay - $2.50 per hour differential (increased from $2.13).
"Alta Bates Summit's goal is to maintain our role as a leading employer that values and retains our nurses. We're proud of this new contract, the hard work that it represents, and the commitment to meet the state's nurse-staffing ratio with an all RN staff. We're gratified our registered nurses voted to accept this offer. Moving forward together under this new contract, we will continue to focus on our patients and their families, and maintain Alta Bates Summit's role as a premier place for Registered Nurses to work and provide the high quality care our community expects and deserves," concluded Ardito.
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center
CONTACT: Carolyn Kemp of Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, +1-510-869-8220
Web site: http://www.sutterhealth.org/
