The context
The contract comes after more than a year of negotiations between NNU and Ascension Seton, and two strikes in June and December. NNU called the June strike the largest in Texas history.
The details
The contract covers over 1,100 nurses, including nurses in the resident and fellow programs who joined the union in January. The contract, which is effective immediately until March 2027, includes the following improvements:
- A new staffing policy that requires 1 registered nurse for every 2 patients in the intensive care units and labor and delivery unit, and 1 RN for every 4 patients in the emergency department
- Monthly meetings with RNs and management to discuss patient care concerns
- A new wage scale that will give nurses an 11% pay increase on average
“This contract holds Ascension accountable to enforcing safe nurse-to-patient ratios, which we know saves patient lives and boosts nurse recruitment and retention,” said Zetta Hackleman, an RN in the perioperative services unit, in a news release. “It also gives us a formal process through the professional practice committee to regularly advocate on behalf of our patients and our communities.”
The other side
In response to the contract approval, Ascension Seton released the following statement:
“We are pleased Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin registered nurses have ratified their initial RN contract. We have a contract in place that is collaborative, respectful of the diverse needs of our registered nurses and that will create a solid foundation for a healthy and respectful working relationship.”
