Nurses at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown ratified their first union-won contract Saturday, a pact that calls for an 18% increase in pay over five years.
The nearly 800 nurses went on a short strike in November after more than a year of negotiations failed to deliver an accord with Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, the owner of the 371-bed hospital, the largest in Bucks and its main trauma center.
The new contract ratified by 96% of the nurses meets several of their demands, including safe staffing, better wages, fair and transparent policies, and a continued voice in issues such as scheduling and grievance procedures. It was negotiated under the leadership of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, the union which St. Mary nurses joined last year.