Members of Einstein Nurses United, an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, have approved a new three-year contract with Jefferson Health Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia.
The union represents about 900 nurses at Einstein Medical, according to a June 21 PASNAP news release. Einstein Medical is a 548-bed tertiary-care teaching hospital and part of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health.
Ninety-two percent of voting union members voted to approve the new contract, according to the union release. Nurses had previously authorized their bargaining committee to call a strike. Their previous contract lapsed April 30.
"I'm incredibly proud of the contract we negotiated, one that took steps to improve retention and recruitment of nurses at Einstein with substantial improvements to our benefits package," Pat Kelly, RN, a longtime Einstein intensive care unit nurse and co-president of Einstein Nurses United, said in the union release. "And my colleagues and I look forward to working with management to address workplace violence, via a joint committee, to make Einstein a safe place to give and receive care."
Under the new deal, nurses will receive average pay increases of 9.5 percent the first year of the contract, in addition to improved experience-based wage increases and improvements to union members' overall benefits package, according to PASNAP. The union said the contract also includes new protections for workers who are victims of workplace violence; the formation of a joint management/staff committee; and other procedures and steps to help address staffing levels.
The hospital praised the agreement, saying it is a result of months of hard work by the Jefferson Einstein and union bargaining committees.
"Jefferson Einstein values our nurses and respects the incredible care they provide each day to patients and our community," a statement from the hospital said. "We believe the agreed-upon contract shows our commitment to our nurses, as well as our appreciation for the excellent care they deliver."
The new contract will be in effect through April 30, 2026.