Salinas Valley Health nurses overwhelmingly ratify new contract with precedent-setting gains

Agreement will improve retention and recruitment, nursing practice, and health and safety protections

Registered nurses at Salinas Valley Health Medical Center in Salinas, Calif., voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new four-year contract yesterday, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU). The contract features key gains to ensure retention and recruitment of nurses, enhance patient care and nursing practice, and includes new provisions for health and safety, prevention of workplace violence, and dedicated break relief protections.

"Thanks to the solidarity and collective strength of our frontline RNs, we were able to win a strong contract that not only sets the standard for our facility, but also for other union and non-union hospitals across the Central Coast," said Tracy Chavez, an RN in the intensive care unit and a CNA nurse negotiator.

Highlights of the contract include:

• First-ever health and safety/prevention of workplace violence provisions
• New protections that ensure dedicated RN break relief across the facility
• Meal and rest break language in accordance with S.B. 1334, with penalty pay for violations
• Enhanced RN floating and cancellation protections that improve patient care and nursing practice standards
• Strengthened A.I. and technology protections of nursing judgement and expertise
• Precedent-setting 20 percent across-the-board pay increases over the next four years, enhancing retention and recruitment and safe staffing

Contract negotiations began in April 2024.SVH nurses held an informational picket in October and presented a strike pledge to the employer on Dec. 9.

CNA represents nearly 730 nurses at Salinas Valley Health. The new contract term will end March 14, 2028 and full ratification by the Salinas Valley Health Medical Center Board of Directors is scheduled Thursday, Dec. 19.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and nearly 225,000 RNs nationwide.