(The Center Square) – Nurses and other critical staff at Wellspan Chambersburg Hospital averted a planned strike after Service Employees International Union members struck a deal with hospital administrators.
Last week’s negotiations led to concessions on both sides but ensured that the hospital will continue operating with its normal staffing for the time being.
“We are dedicated to providing the highest quality care to our community, and this contract is an important step toward that goal,” the union wrote in a statement that thanked the public for support.
Workers had proposed a 7.5% increase this year followed by a 5% increase each of the next two years. The new contract is well below those numbers and recent inflation at 3.5% annually for three years.
Ahead of the strike, union members said many employees weren’t making enough to meet the cost of living. Still, the job protections the new agreement offers represent a victory for workers.
The statement also said, “In addition to the 10.5% total raises over the three year agreement to retain and recruit staff, we also achieved: strong protections against the centralization of jobs outside of our hospital; disincentives against outsourcing jobs by guaranteeing that workers would keep their same wages levels; pay increases for weekend differential, shift differential, charge duties, longevity and being reassigned to different units; enhancements for time off, scheduling and retirement benefits; and preservation of all our previous contract standards with zero cuts.”
For its part, Wellspan called the agreement a “significant milestone in both organizations’ ongoing commitment to providing exceptional care and fostering a supportive work environment for all team members.”
