Workers at Cleveland Clinic Lutheran Hospital have ratified a new contract and are preparing to return to work after more than two weeks on strike, according to an Oct. 8 news release shared with Becker’s by SEIU District 1199.
Members of the union went on strike Sept. 23. The hospital said Oct. 7 that it may hire permanent replacements for workers who remained on strike.
The three-year agreement includes wage increases totaling nearly 11%, an additional 50 cents per hour for employees with six or more years of service, new certification pay, a ratification bonus and higher shift differentials, the union said. It also includes changes to paid time off, recognition of religious holidays and protections for the union’s right to bargain during the life of the contract.
In an Oct. 8 statement shared with Becker’s, Lutheran Hospital said the contract maintains Cleveland Clinic’s commitment to a drug-free workplace, including random drug testing, which it described as a longstanding patient and caregiver safety measure. “We are pleased to have reached an agreement on a new contract, which has been ratified by bargaining unit members,” the hospital said.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 5:43 p.m. CT on Oct. 8.
