Registered nurses at Oroville Hospital in Oroville, California, voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract, winning protections to improve staffing, patient safety, and RN staff retention, announced California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).

“Our primary focus in negotiations has been safe patient care,” said Eric Smith, RN and member of the bargaining team. “By improving staffing and workplace safety, we are able to continue our advocacy efforts at the bedside and beyond.”

Highlights of the contract include:

• Health and safety provisions to ensure nurses get the highest level of personal protective equipment, including when caring for patients suspected of having Covid.
• Improved workplace violence prevention language, including a prevention plan and recommendations from a committee of union RNs. 
• Improved staffing language to ensure that management will consider the acuity of patients in a unit, pending admissions, and other factors before calling off nursing staff. 
• Economic gains and health benefit provisions to help retain and recruit experienced nurses. The agreement includes an 11 percent wage increase over three years and no takeaways to health care benefits or retirement plan.

“CNA members are very pleased with our new contract,” said Christine Goodwin, RN and member of the bargaining team. “Our success with this agreement improves the ability to recruit and retain nurses to continue to serve the Oroville community.” 

CNA represents nearly 400 members at Oroville Hospital.

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.