St. V's nurses OK three-year contract

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By Rick Saia

Registered nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital have ratified a new three-year contract with the Worcester health-care facility, ending more than a year of contract talks, the nurses’ union announced Monday morning.

The pact includes improvements to nurse staffing levels, which will lower nurse patient assignments and improve patient care, according to a statement from the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA). The contract will also lower the cost of health benefits for most part-time nurses while providing a modest pay hike for all nurses, the union said.

“This is a great victory for nurses and this community,” said Marlena Pellegrino, co-chair of the nurses’ local bargaining unit, in a statement. “This is a win for all parties, and the biggest winners will be our patients.”

The union includes more than 700 nurses.

Steve MacLauchlan, CEO of Saint Vincent, said in an emailed statement that the agreement "is in the best interest of our hospital and our registered nurses." He said the contract negotiations were conducted in "good faith."

In addition to staffing changes, the nurses won better cost sharing on health insurance for most part-time nurses, according to the union. Nurses working 30 hours per week will now pay the same rate as full-time nurses, a 20 percent cost share, while nurses working 24 hours will now pay 35 percent, down from the 40 percent share required under the previous contact, the MNA said.

The three-year agreement, which runs through the end of 2016, also includes a 1 percent across-the-board pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2014, another 1 percent retroactive to Jan. 1, and another 1 percent effective Jan. 1, 2016. Also, the contract provides an additional 3.5 percent for staff nurses at the top of the pay scale, split over the last two years of the agreement, the MNA said.

The contract also includes pay increases for per-diem nurses, an extra paid day off for all nurses who want to attend classes to improve their clinical practice, and a provision that allows nurses to arrange their own self scheduling, allowing them to swap shifts with other nurses as needed.

Talks on a new contract began in November 2013. A settlement was reached Feb. 3 and the contract was ratified last week, the MNA said.