Members of Service Employees International Union Local 1107 at Las Vegas-based Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center have ratified their first labor contract, according to a union news release shared with Becker’s.
The agreement covers nearly 300 laboratory medical technologists, medical social workers, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physical therapists and speech-language pathologists, the release said. Sunrise Hospital is part of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare.
According to the union, the contract includes:
- Average raises of more than 12% over three years, with the highest raise reaching 36%.
- A 24-step pay scale that rewards seniority.
- An onsite problem-solving process that includes union representation and a neutral arbitrator.
- Protected benefits, including fully employer-paid healthcare premiums.
- A patient care committee and other committees to improve staffing and other issues.
“To provide the best care and meet all of our community’s complex needs, we must have the very best professionals working here,” Cristina Hooper, a medical social worker, said in the release. “Our first union contract is the foundation that will empower us to attract and keep professionals, and give us a seat at the table to represent our patients and ourselves. With our union, we are bringing humanity back to corporate healthcare.”
Sunrise professionals voted to join SEIU Local 1107 in January 2024. While negotiating their first contract, they sought to address staffing and burnout, among other issues. Both sides reached a tentative agreement Sept. 15, and union members soon voted 98% to ratify the contract, according to the union.
Sunrise Hospital noted in a statement shared with Becker’s that “the compensation increases and benefits in this agreement are consistent with those we provide to other healthcare professionals in the Las Vegas area.
“Throughout the process, we bargained in good faith and are pleased to have reached a fair and equitable agreement so that our colleagues can continue to advance the excellent patient care we are known for providing,” the hospital added.
