Union approves contract at Sutter Roseville Medical Center
The Service Employees International Union, United Healthcare Workers-West has overwhelmingly approved a new three-year contract with Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
Sutter Roseville officials said 46 percent of 617 SEIU-UHW-represented employees ratified the contract by a vote of 242-45, or 84 percent approval. SEIU-UHW confirmed the 84 percent figure.
Votes were tabulated late Friday.
Also on Monday, it was confirmed that registered nurses have ratified a new pact with Catholic Healthcare West, which runs the Sacramento area's Mercy hospitals. The new contract, formally approved Nov. 13, provides a 20 percent wage increase over four years at about 30 hospitals across California and Nevada.
About 2,200 nurses work for Catholic Healthcare West hospitals in the capital region. The pact also includes beefed-up protections against pandemics such as the spread of the H1N1 virus.
A key provision of the SEIU-UHW contract with Sutter Roseville is a minimum pay raise of more than 16 percent over three years.
Union officials also lauded the contract for maintaining a ban on subcontracting efforts by the hospital and for protecting employer-paid health care.
"By staying strong and united, we were able to demonstrate to Sutter management our commitment to quality, well-trained staff and to providing quality care to the community," said Nicole Otewalt, an operating room technician and bargaining team member.
"We're proud to have outstanding employees who provide exceptional patient care," said Patrick Brady, CEO of Sutter Roseville. "Our employees can now receive their well-deserved wage increases in these challenging economic times."
The union said the new Sutter contract includes:
• Pay increases over three years of 5.5 percent immediately, 2.25 percent in May, 4.25 percent in May 2011 and 3.5 percent in May 2012. SEIU-UHW noted that the raises, compounded over three years, add up to 16.39 percent.
• Maintains language banning subcontracting and prevents staff transfers to other Sutter facilities.
• No cuts in health care. Coverage includes six months of paid benefits for those on non-industry-related medical leave.
SEIU-UHW represents technical workers – such as housekeepers, radiological technicians, operating room technicians and certified nursing assistants – at Sutter Roseville.
SEIU-UHW workers at the hospital have been without a contract for about 18 months, and negotiations were slowed by an internal dispute within the union. An attempt by some workers to decertify the unit in August failed when the union was retained on a 327-225 vote.
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