Registered nurses at the Public Health Department in Fresno, Calif. voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new two-year contract today, winning protections to improve patient safety and nurse retention announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU].

“We are very pleased that we have ratified a strong contract that we know will go a long way in retaining experienced nurses at the Public Health Department in Fresno County,” said Sunshine Harder, RN and a public health nurse in the Nurse Family Partnership program. “With our recent victories, including an increase in pension contributions, we have taken an important step to  recruit and retain experienced nurses. We look forward to being able to provide the highest quality of care to our community.”

Nurses know that retaining and recruiting experienced nurses is critical in providing the highest quality of patient care. Experienced nurses provide invaluable mentorship to newer nurses and their direct patient care experience is a community asset.

Highlights of the contract include: 

• Improve patient care through measures designed to retain and recruit experienced nurses
• Improved benefits including an increase in employer pension contributions
• Wage increases: 8 percent over the term of the agreement, in addition to the 10 percent negotiated by the union last year.

The new pact covers the period May 2024 to May 2026.

CNA represents nearly 100 nurses at Fresno County, Public Health Dept.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and nearly 225,000 RNs nationwide.