Registered nurses at San Leandro and Alameda hospitals in California have approved a new five-year labor contract.
The agreement covers more than 380 nurses at the hospitals, according to their union, the California Nurses Association.
It includes a 25% pay increase, at minimum, over the life of the contract.
According to the union, the contract also provides:
- Improved scheduling practices that prioritize staff nurses over nonunion nurse travelers
- Protections to ensure nurses receive meal and break periods
- RN inclusion in management’s diversity, equity and inclusion committee
“Every single article of our contracts was up for negotiation, and nurses upheld the high standards of care we’ve historically fought for,” Linda Strack, RN, said in a CNA news release. “Because we remained united in our goal to improve nurse and patient health and safety, this landmark agreement raises the bar for the recruitment and retention of Bay Area nurses.”
James Jackson, CEO of the hospitals’ parent organization, Alameda Health System, shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“This contract represents Alameda Health System’s respect for nurses and the patients they serve. Nurses at AHS play a critical role at every level of our organization, from the bedside to the executive leadership team. Despite threats to public hospital funding, AHS stands firm in its commitment to compensating its nursing staff with competitive pay and benefits, while ensuring the sustainability of AHS so that we can continue to serve our patients long into the future.”
The joint agreement — the first shared single contract for separate hospitals within AHS — is retroactive to April 1, 2024, and runs through March 31, 2029.
