More than 1,000 nurses at Pittsburgh-based UPMC have signed an open letter urging the health system to make investments in its workforce.
The nurses plan to deliver the letter to system executives "in the near future," according to a Dec. 5 news release from SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania shared with Becker's. The letter has been signed by both unionized and nonunionized nurses, SEIU said.
Directed toward executive leadership and the board of directors, the letter calls for transparent staffing standards, the elimination of a pay cap for experienced nurses, and investment in longevity and retention raises. It also advocates for improvements to paid time off and parental leave policies.
UPMC does not cap nurse pay, a UPMC spokesperson said in a statement shared with Becker's. Lump-sum merit increases are provided to those who reach their hourly pay range maximum, which increases each year, according to the statement.
"UPMC nurses can earn more than $50.00 per hour in four years, with progressive increases through performance and merit, salary structure movement, and career ladder advancement," the spokesperson said. "UPMC provides more than 41% in pay increase through the Nursing Accelerated Career Path and additional core compensation programs over the first 3 years and more than 62% over the first 4 years."
The open letter follows a "historic" contract agreement at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital in October, under which the minimum wage for nurses with a BSN will increase 31% over three years, from $31.65 to $40.25 per hour.
However, nurses across the system say more needs to be done to retain staff, according to the union release.
"This is not a sustainable direction for our healthcare system," Naomi Edwards, a seven-year UPMC nurse at UPMC Presbyterian and Montefiore hospitals, said in the release. "What we need is a complete transformation of the relationship between hospital executives and the nursing profession. We need a model that invests in building cohesive teams, where experienced nurses are valued and retained, and new nurses are nurtured and supported to build sustainable careers."
In addition to staffing and compensation issues, the letter urges UPMC to commit to ensuring at least 10% of its board of directors are frontline registered nurses.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 10:50 a.m. on Dec. 6 to reflect that SEIU Healthcare has verified that more than 1,000 current UPMC nurses have signed the open letter.