Members of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals at Tower Health’s Pottstown Hospital have ratified a new three-year labor contract, according to union and hospital statements shared with Becker’s.
The agreement, approved Aug. 6, covers nearly 300 nurses at the hospital.
Highlights noted by the union include:
- Wage increases and ratification bonuses.
- One month of retroactive pay.
- Controls on the reassignment of nurses outside their specialty area.
- Hospital commitments to monitor, investigate and prevent incidents of workplace violence.
- A frozen graduate nurse starting rate in the first year of the contract.
- Adoption of Just Culture, a nonpunitive framework to balance accountability and learning when addressing mistakes or adverse events.
“We worked hard for a fair contract that respects the work we do, and allows us to care safely for our patients,” Lori Domin, RN, president of union affiliate Pottstown Nurses United, said in a news release. “We believe we accomplished that goal. We stuck together for what we believe in, and I think that made the difference. We see this as a win for us, for our patients, and for our hospital.”
Tower Health said, “We are pleased to have ratified a new contract with PASNAP at Pottstown Hospital. We deeply appreciate the dedication of our nurses and all caregivers to delivering high-quality care, and we look forward to working collaboratively under this new agreement to advance the health and well-being of the communities we serve.”
Editor’s note: This article was updated on Aug. 8.
