Published Wednesday, August 15, 2024 in goskagit.com
Skagit Regional Health Nurses With New Contract
MOUNT VERNON — Nearly six months after negotiations began, Skagit Regional Health and its nurses have ratified a contract.
The Skagit Regional Health Board of Commissioners approved the contract Wednesday that impacts about 600 registered nurses at Skagit Valley Hospital, its clinics and at Hospice of the Northwest.
The nurses were represented in their contract negotiations by the Washington State Nurses Association.
The negotiations had three major sticking points for the nurses — wages, a desire to have annual raises based on experience rather than hours worked and retirement benefits.
The nurses were able to negotiate raises between 11.6% and 13.5% for the first year. Years two and three of the contract call for 3.75% raises.
Skagit Regional Health nurse Liz Rainaud, who is the local chair of the nurses union, said the increases makes wages at Skagit Regional Health competitive with other institutions.
A big win for the nurses was that now raises will be determined by years of experience with Skagit Regional Health rather than on the number of hours worked.
"It's a big step towards equality and recognizing experience," Rainaud said. "The hospital benefits because they'll have those experienced nurses."
The final sticking point, retirement benefits, also ended in a win for the nurses.
Rainaud said the retirement benefit under the expired contract offered health insurance to registered nurses who have worked for Skagit Regional Health for 20 years and reach the age of 62 until they reach 65 and are eligible for Medicare.
Nurses with 12 years of experience in any position with Skagit Regional Health will be grandfathered into the benefit, said Rainaud.
The union nurses ratified the contract on Monday with a 174-17 vote. The contract becomes effective Sept. 2.
"We're really happy about it and it'll be exciting to move forward," Rainaud said. "It's a solid step in the right direction."