The union that represents nurses at UPMC McKeesport announced this week that they had ratified a three-year contract that included “significant investments in nursing and patient care.”
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania said that the contract provides for an average 7% initial investment in nurse pay with substantial wage increases over the next three years, and no nurse would receive an initial investment of less than 5%.
In addition, nurses maintained their vacation and scheduling benefits and their pension plan and protected or improved existing benefits that support safe staffing, including guarantees against temporary reassignment to other units.
“We see this contract as a necessary investment in recruitment and retention, and especially in nursing experience at the bedside,” said Lyn Musser, UPMC McKeesport chapter president. “I am proud that we maintained our strong protections against temporary reassignment as well as our other benefits. We look forward to continuing to work with UPMC to provide the highest quality patient care in our community hospital.”
The contract also improved the professional development program for nurses at the hospital and increased incentives for taking on additional responsibilities, training and education.
SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania represents about 65 registered nurses at UPMC McKeesport.
UPMC did not respond to a request for comment.
This is the second hospital to reach a contract agreement with its nurses in recent months.
In November, union nurses at Allegheny General Hospital agreed to a three-year contract that included increased staffing and an average raise of 23% over the lifetime of the deal.
Andrew writes about education and more for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but he's currently on strike. Email him at agoldstein@unionprogress.com.