Staff Reports
Members of the registered nurse bargaining unit represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center in balloting on Thursday.
The ratified agreement covers 260 RNs and will be in effect until December 2012. Depending on their length of service, covered employees will see annual wage increases ranging from 3.5 percent to 6.5 percent in the first year, and 2 percent to 2.5 percent in years two and three.
“Registered professional nurses are a vital component of our work force,” Memorial’s President and CEO Joseph A. Ruffolo said. “We clearly value and appreciate their dedication and commitment to providing the highest quality of patient care at Memorial.”
Linda Shamrock, a registered nurse at Memorial for 29 years, also praised the agreement.
“In spite of the bad economy and financial pressures on our hospital, we made substantial progress that will allow us to continue quality care and values the hard work of our nurses,” she said.
In December, members of two other bargaining units covering service and maintenance employees and licensed practical nurses and technicians also represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, approved new three-year agreements with Memorial.
