The three-year contract, ratified overwhelmingly Wednesday night, covers 140 staff and includes raises of up to 9.27 percent compounded over the next three years, improved health insurance – including, for the first time, a fully employer paid family health care option – job security and a ban on subcontracting jobs, according to a union statement.
“This agreement will help ensure that our community continues to receive high quality care from the hospital’s skilled and experienced staff,” said Paula Capps, a pharmacist at the facility.
“Sutter Lakeside Hospital has worked diligently since the expiration of the contract more than 18 months ago to implement benefit and wage enhancements,” said Sutter Lakeside Chief Administrative Officer Siri Nelson. “The hospital is committed to providing staff members competitive wages and an environment that recognizes and supports collaboration.”
Nelson said Sutter Lakeside proposed a new health benefit plan to all staff in mid-2009 and said management is extremely pleased that SEIU has recognized its value during the contract ratification.
In 2009, SEIU-UHW-represented hospital workers received on average wage increases for the first year of their contract well-above the national average of 2.3 percent.
Over the past three months SEIU-UHW workers at five other facilities within the Sutter system have settled contracts, including Amador Medical Center in Jackson, Delta Medical Center in Antioch, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Roseville Medical Center in Roseville and Sutter Solano in Vallejo.
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