Le Lézard
Classified in: Health, Business, Covid-19 virus
Subjects: CON, LBR

MNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals at Morton Hospital and Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack Ratify New Contracts with Steward Healthcare Benefitting Patient Care, Local Communities and Frontline RNs


METHUEN, Mass. and TAUNTON, Mass., Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses and healthcare professionals represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association who care for patients at Steward Healthcare's Morton Hospital and Steward Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack recently voted to ratify agreements with Steward which will improve patient care and working conditions at their hospitals while also valuing nurses for their hard work and dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 370 MNA nurses and healthcare professionals of Morton Hospital in Taunton voted last week to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement ? covering the period Jan. 1, 2020 to Oct. 31, 2021 ? reached with Steward management on July 27 after eight months of bargaining.

Among other provisions, the new Morton MNA contract includes enhancements to a guaranteed pension consisting of a 5% employer contribution calculated on wages up to 40 hours in a week with no employee match requirement. Morton nurses and healthcare professionals will also receive significant wage increases and they earned new workplace rights and protections.

"Morton Hospital was designated a COVID-19 hospital during the height of the pandemic earlier this year, and our nurses and healthcare professionals have been putting everything into caring for patients and trying to keep our community safe," said Jacqui Fitts, RN, MNA's elected chair at Morton Hospital. "We are proud to have negotiated such a strong agreement which will position Morton to attract and keep the nurses and healthcare professionals we need to provide safe, high-quality patient care at all times."

The 140 MNA nurses of Steward Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack in Haverhill voted last month to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement ? covering the period Nov. 2, 2019 to Nov. 1, 2022 ? reached with Steward management on July 22 after 10 months of bargaining.

Holy Family nurses achieved significant gains in safe staffing to improve patient care conditions, substantial wage increases to make the hospital more competitive with similar employers, pension enhancements, a new holiday, increased pay differentials and additional workplace rights language, among other provisions. 

The settlement is largely similar to that negotiated in January between the 400 MNA-represented RNs and Steward Healthcare at the sister hospital, Holy Family Hospital in Methuen.

"First of all, I would like to thank my colleagues and Steward leadership for giving our hospital a new look on staffing," said Val Roderick, RN co-chair of Holy Family Hospital Haverhill. "This allows our nursing teams to continue to provide the highest quality of care, compassion, and mercy for the sick and suffering. Whether we hold that hand as they take the first step or sit quietly as they weep about their loss of independence, we are doing what we do best ? 'being a nurse.'"

"Our new contract represents a huge boost to our ability to care for patients safely and effectively and improves the hospital's ability to recruit and retain nurses," said Ann Rushworth, RN 4W, Bargaining Committee Member. "We have put our lives and the health of our families on the line this year to provide patient care through unprecedented challenges and we are pleased to secure an agreement that values our dedication."

Morton Hospital and Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack New Contract Summaries

Safe Staffing for Improved Patient Care

Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack

Morton Hospital

The parties preserved the current enforceable staffing grids for each department and repeated the written commitment in the new contract that management "shall post and make reasonable efforts to recruit to fill such positions that are necessary to meet the Hospital's contractual obligations.

Wages and Differentials

Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack

Morton Hospital

Pension

Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack

Morton Hospital

Health and Dental Insurance

Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack

Workplace Rights and Protections

Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack

Morton Hospital

Miscellaneous

Holy Family Hospital at Merrimack

Morton Hospital

MassNurses.org ? Facebook.com/MassNurses ? Twitter.com/MassNurses ? Instagram.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

 

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association


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