Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, California Nurses Association Reach Contract Agreement

Officials at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, one of the largest private hospitals in California, and representatives of the California Nurses Association, which represents 1,300 nurses at the facility, have agreed to a three-year contract after two one-day strikes this fall and "tense labor relations," the Los Angeles Times reports. According to David Johnson, the Southern California director of CNA, the contract would provide nurses with an average 21% wage increase over three years and would establish a system that bases nurse salaries on experience. The contract also would guarantee annual employer contributions of 4% to 9% of nurse salaries to a retirement plan and would refer unresolved disputes between nurses and the hospital over staff levels to arbitration, Johnson said. "We're pleased that we have reached an agreement for a three-year contract with the CNA bargaining team. Both sides have agreed on nursing salaries as well as a defined contribution plan that will benefit our nurses in their retirement," Long Beach Memorial CEO Byron Schweigert said in a statement. Johnson added, "It's one of the most important hospitals in California. Nurses at Long Beach Memorial view this as a breakthrough that other nurses can emulate." The nurses tomorrow will vote on whether to approve the contract (Boxall, Los Angeles Times, 12/9).