Stanford, nurses reach tentative labor deal

Stanford and Lucile Packard Children's hospitals in Palo Alto, Calif., and the Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement reached a tentative agreement on a three-year contract for about 5,000 nurses represented by the union, according to hospital and union statements.

The sides reached the agreement April 29, the fifth day of a strike, and union members appoved it May 1. 

"After extensive discussions, we were able to reach consensus on a contract that reflects our shared priorities and enhances existing benefits supporting our nurses' health, well-being and ongoing professional development," Stanford said in its latest negotiations update.

With the new agreement, striking nurses will return to work May 3. 

Meanwhile, in a news release shared with Becker's, the union highlighted parts of the agreement, including improvements it said "ensure high patient acuity is reflected in staffing."  

The agreement also includes a combined 7 percent base wage increase in 2022 (a 5 percent increase followed by a 2 percent increase) for nurses, 5 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, as well as funds specifically for mental healthcare of workers, according to the union.

As part of the labor deal, the hospitals also agreed to continue medical benefits for striking nurses without disruption, the union said.

"From day one of our contract negotiations, CRONA nurses have been unified in our goals of improving staffing and making our profession more sustainable," Colleen Borges, president of CRONA and pediatric oncology nurse at Packard hospital, said in the release. "We stood strong behind our demands for fair contracts that give us the resources and support we need to take care of ourselves, our families and our patients. We are proud to provide world-class patient care — and are glad the hospitals have finally listened to us."

Dale Beatty, DNP, RN, chief nurse executive and vice president of patient care services for Stanford Health Care, and Jesus Cepero, PhD, RN, senior vice president of patient care and chief nursing officer for Stanford Children's Health, acknowledged on the Stanford negotiations page that reaching an agreement has been challenging.

Now "we can all take pride in this agreement. And we are proud of our team for maintaining continuity of care for our patients," they said.

More information on negotiations is available here and here.   

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