Local hospital, nurses union agree on new contract
After only two months of negotiations, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital has agreed on a new contract with the California Nurses Assn.
The contract — which includes competitive wages, a new time-off program, enhanced nursing practice provisions as well as expanded holiday and weekend plans — was ratified by the union in late December and is effective through February 2020, according to hospital officials.
The union represents thousands of registered nurses in California, including 162 nurses at Verdugo Hills Hospital.
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“Our new contract with the CNA is an important part of the hospital’s growth strategy,” said Keith Hobbs, chief executive of the hospital. “Attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for our hospital’s ability to provide the highest standards of patient care, and we are proud to have reached this agreement so quickly.”
Jessica Thomas, clinical director of the emergency department at the hospital who was involved in the bargaining process, said the experience was good for both sides.
“The contract bargaining process provided an opportunity for management and nursing representatives to sit down together and explore those elements of the work environment that are most important to our bedside nurses,” she said.
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Mark Kellam, mark.kellam@latimes.com
Twitter: @LAMarkKellam
