Massachusetts Nurses Association Members Ratify New Contracts at Four Steward Health Care Hospitals

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Jul 17, 2018, 11:04 ET

CANTON, Mass., July 17, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) at four Steward Health Care hospitals -- Carney Hospital in Dorchester, Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton, Norwood Hospital and St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton -- have ratified new contract settlements which will run through December 31, 2022. The agreements cover some 1,700 RNs, social workers, nurse practitioners, lab scientists, physical therapists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who are members of the MNA.

"We are glad to have reached agreements that will improve conditions for patient care and which will attract and retain great patient care staff," said Karen Gavigan, RN, MNA co-chair at Good Samaritan Medical Center.

Highlights of the agreements include:

Safe Patient Care Improvements: At Carney Hospital management will not assign a charge nurse precepting duties (training new nurses) during the shift. At Good Samaritan, Norwood and St. Elizabeth's charge nurses will not be given patient assignments and, variously (at particular times and on particular units) reduced assignments, as well as agreements to add resource nurses to the current care team. Management has also agreed that it cannot diminish current nurse-patient limits at all four facilities. Steward also agreed that the Patient Safety Act (Question 1 on the November Massachusetts ballot to establish safe patient limits for nurses in all hospital units) if passed will go into effect in the final year of the contract.
Wages and Benefits: The new contracts will increase the wage scales (retroactive to the date of each contract's expiration) ranging from 8.5% to 9.75% depending on the hospital and the individuals' years of service along with increases to various differentials.
Health Insurance: Locked in the plans, their coverages, co-payments, deductibles and favorable share of premium costs for the duration of the contract.
Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program: All four hospitals variously maintained or increased their existing tuition reimbursement benefits, while an innovative Student Loan Assistance Program was established at Carney Hospital, which the parties believe will attract recent grads to the hospital and help retain long-time nurses who have recently completed new degrees.
Pension: Continuation of the multi-employer defined benefit pension plan that now includes clarifying language providing additional back contributions for new hires.

"With these positive settlements accomplished, we are devoting all our energies to the passage of The Patient Safety Act, Question 1, to improve patient care in all Massachusetts Hospitals," says Joan Ballantyne, MNA co-chair at Norwood Hospital and MNA Board member.

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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association