Nurses at UPMC's Western Psychiatric hospital announced a new union contract Sunday. The contract raises the minimum wage rate for nurses with a Bachelor’s of Science in nursing from $31.65 to $40.
25 per hour over the course of the three-year contract. Additional raises for years of service and professional development are also provided for. "[T]he guaranteed minimum raises, longevity increases to reward years of service, and improved pay for a clinical ladder, provide nurses the opportunity for average raises of 35%, with the highest raises totaling 44% by the end of the contract," according to an SEIU news release.
Western Psych nurses are represented by the SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania union. Earlier in October, Western Psych nurses voted to authorize a strike after UPMC closed several beds at the Oakland hospital due to understaffing and high turnover. On Tuesday, Western Psych nurses plan to rally mental health advocates, elected officials and union nurses from other hospitals in front of UPMC headquarters to call on executives to improve contracts for nurses throughout UPMC's system.
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