Nurses at Ascension St. Agnes Hospital approve contract

Registered nurses at Ascension St. Agnes Hospital in Baltimore voted to approve a three year contract on Sept. 19. The agreement, which runs through September 2029, follows four years of negotiations.

The contract includes pay increases of 5 to 6 percent over the three year term and ends mandatory overtime. According to a news release from National Nurses United, the agreement also limits assigning nurses to units outside their clinical competency and prevents mass layoffs of per diem nurses. To improve workplace safety, the contract establishes measures for immediate security assistance and protects staff who report safety concerns.

The agreement also outlines procedures for union representation, arbitration, and discipline. It includes protections to keep the contract in effect if the hospital changes ownership. Melissa LaRue, a registered nurse in the intensive care unit, stated that the contract provides victories regarding equipment, staffing, and raises. Hospital officials said they were pleased with the outcome in a statement to the Catholic Review.