More than 14,000 registered nurses in California and Nevada approved a new contract with San Francisco-based Dignity Health, according to a Sept. 20 union news release.
The four-year agreement covers registered nurses represented by the California Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee and includes additional infectious disease prevention measures for nurses and patients, the union said.
Among the measures cited by the California Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee are nurse participation in the COVID-19 pandemic task force, comprehensive workplace violence prevention language, increased tuition reimbursement for education, and a 13.5 percent wage increase over the life of the contract. The contract also includes equity and inclusion provisions.
"As we face yet another surge of COVID-19 patients filling up our hospitals, we are proud to have achieved additional health and safety protections for our RNs and patients," Sandy Reding, RN, union president, said in the news release.
Dignity Health is part of Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health. The California Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee is affiliated with National Nurses United.