The new agreement brings improvements in staffing practices and other measures that will improve patient care at the hospital.

Registered nurses at Corpus Christi Medical Center (CCMC) in Texas voted in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract this week, winning measures to improve patient safety and nurse retention. Nurses represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), the nation’s largest nurses union, say the newly ratified agreement will improve patient care and working conditions at their hospital. 

“Our new union contract is a step in the right direction for nurses and patients at CCMC,” said Pauli Hirvasoja, RN in the intensive care unit. “We will continue building towards safe patient care and better working conditions.” 

Highlights of the contract include:

• Pilot program on break relief staffing: A new program that will improve staffing practices to ensure nurses can take their meal and rest breaks during their shifts.
• Nurse floating improvements: New measures will ensure nurses are “floated” (temporarily reassigned) to units similar to their normal specialty.
• Wage increases: Substantial wage increases that will improve nurse recruitment and retention; up to 25% bumps for some Texas nurses over the term of the contract.
• Inclusive documentation: Staff can use preferred names and add personal pronouns to name badges.

“We’re so excited to get this contract settled with some major wins for nurses and our patients,” said Sylvia Higgins, RN in the neonatal intensive care unit. “Ensuring nurses get our meal and rest breaks, and placing limitations to cancellations to ensure that staffing guidelines are observed — these are measures that improve our working conditions and patient care.”

NNOC/NNU represents around 700 nurses combined at Corpus Christi Medical Center and, nationally, more than 8,500 nurses who were at the bargaining table with HCA management throughout 2024, as contracts expired at 17 HCA facilities in six states. In recent weeks, nurses at HCA facilities had voted in favor of authorizing strikes if necessary to resolve negotiations, but an agreement was reached before any strikes were called by nurses on bargaining teams. 

NNOC/NNU represents nearly 10,000 nurses at HCA facilities nationwide, including some not bargaining new contracts this year. HCA is one of the largest and wealthiest health care systems in the United States.

National Nurses Organizing Committee is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with nearly 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates also include California Nurses Association, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.