RNs at Sutter Auburn Faith Approve New Pact
Welcome Big Wage Gains, Withdrawal of Cuts
Sutter RNs at Roseville, Tracy Voting Today

Registered nurses at Sutter Auburn Faith voted by 96% Monday to approve a new four year contract agreement that will provide substantial economic gains while rebuffing hospital demands for cuts in health coverage, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United announced today.

RNs at Sutter Roseville and Sutter Tracy are voting on new contract proposals today. The pacts cover 1,000 RNs at Sutter Roseville, 340 RNs at Sutter Auburn Faith and some 200 RNs at Sutter Tracy, who are among 7,000 RNs represented by CNA at Sutter hospitals.  Tracy RNs are voting on their first ever collective bargaining contract.

“Sutter Auburn Faith nurses began and ended this campaign by speaking with one voice as patient advocates. Our 96 percent acceptance of the new agreement speaks to that voice,” said Sutter Auburn Faith RN Sandy Ralston. “We are proud to say that with this agreement, qualified, experience nurses will continue to be part of the Auburn community.”

At Auburn Faith, which rests in the Sierra foothills, the nurses held a number of rallies and other actions over the 18 months of negotiations for a new agreement, including a final rally just last month – with the result of what they viewed, as endorsed by the nurse members Monday – as a significant new agreement. Their actions coincided with nurse actions at other Sutter hospitals, especially at nearby Sutter Roseville.

“Throughout this bargaining struggle, nurses never lost sight of our goals to improve patient care and retain great nurses. With this agreement we have achieved just that,” said Sutter Auburn Faith RN Lisa Workman.

Among the gains for Auburn Faith RNs – across the board pay increases of 16 percent over four years, improvements in dental and vision health coverage, a new long term disability plan, improvements in work schedules, and  an agreement to allow additional nurses to participate in maintenance, review and updating of the hospital’s emergency preparedness committee.

“We’re so proud of our nurses at Sutter hospitals who have stood up, and worked for years to win stellar contracts and protections for their patients, their colleagues, and their families,” said CNA co-president Malinda Markowitz, RN.

Talks are also beginning, or continuing for Sutter CNA represented RNs at three Alta Bates Summit Medical Center facilities in Berkeley and Oakland, three California Pacific Medical Center hospitals in San Francisco (St. Luke’s, California, and Pacific), Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Mills Peninsula Health Services facilities in Burlingame and San Mateo, Novato Community Hospital, Sutter Delta in Antioch, Sutter Lakeside, Sutter Roseville, Sutter Santa Cruz (a visiting nurses home health service), Sutter Santa Rosa, and Sutter Solano in Vallejo.