National Nurses United

J U LY | A U G U S T | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 5 NORTH CAROLINA R egistered nurses at HCA's Mis- sion Hospital in Asheville, N.C. voted by a huge margin in July to ratify their first-ever union con- tract. RNs say the agreement will provide significant improvements for patient care protections and enhanced standards that promote retention of experienced RNs and recruitment of new nurses. The contract rat- ification took place less than a year after the RNs voted to join National Nurses Organiz- ing Committee. "Our new contract is a huge step forward for nurses, patients, and our entire commu- nity," said Sue Fischer, a Mission RN and a member of the bargaining team. "This pact provides substantial measures to ensure nurses have a stronger voice for safe staffing, new health and safety meas- ures for a safer hospital, and economic improvements to keep the bedrock nurses our community needs, at the bedside," said Sarah Duval, a Mission RN. "This contract also establishes a great base for additional improvements in future contracts." "Congratulations to the dedicated Mis- sion RNs who have worked for many months, including through the worst pan- demic in a century, to achieve these legally binding protections," said NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, RN. "This agree- ment will also inspire RNs in nonunion workplaces across the country about what they, too, can achieve by winning a collective voice for their patients and themselves, especially in a union with the unparalleled record of NNU." "We are proud of this agreement," said Mission RN Kelly Graham. "It is a testament to the unity of the Mission nurses, and to the phenomenal support we have received from our neighbors, elected leaders, clergy, and friends across the greater Asheville commu- nity. Our pledge to all of you is to ensure that you receive the highest standard of care when you are sick, injured, and in need of therapeutic, healing hospital care." Under the new three-year contract, the 1,800 Mission RNs will receive wage increases of up to 7 percent in the first year and up to 17 percent total, based on years of experience, over the life of the agreement, which includes a grid guaranteeing regular increases. Safe staffing and health and safety proto- cols were a top priority for the nurses and substantial gains were made throughout the contract, including guaranteed meal and rest breaks, requirements for personal pro- tective equipment and testing, workplace violence prevention, patient handling and lift teams training, and protections against unsafe floating. The ratified pact also includes a hospital committee to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on race, gen- der, age, and sexual orientation in hospital recruitment, retention, promotion, and training; just cause protections; and paid time off to vote in elections. —Charles Idelson Mission Hospital RNs ratify first contract by huge margin Agreement achieved less than a year after unionization

• Cover