Pottstown >> After weeks of negotiations, stalled talks and the threat of a one-day strike, a contract agreement has been reached and approved for 275 union employees at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.
Members of the Service Employee International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Pennsylvania, voted Tuesday to ratify the new 3-year agreement. The final tally of votes was not available Tuesday evening, but according to Karen Gownley, a spokeswoman for the SEIU, 93 percent of the members who voted approved the contract.
“We are happy to have gotten an agreement with the hospital. We didn’t want to go on strike if we could prevent it,” said Linda Heater, a unit secretary in the ICU at PMMC, union delegate and secretary/treasurer of the SEIU chapter at PMMC.
“We were able to sit with management and find a way to avoid the strike,” said heater, a PMMC employee for 36 years. “This contract moves us forward with the health care. It was important to have affordable health care for our members, especially since we’re health care providers ourselves.”
The new contract provides wage increases of 1.75 percent the first year and 2 percent for the next two years, according to a press release issued by the SEIU.
In addition, as in past years, there will be a 10 percent cap on insurance premium hikes each year. The difference moving forward, however, is that and any increases will be tied to actual COBRA rate increases.
“The caps are still at 10 percent each year, but they will be charging what the COBRA rate increase is. It’s more of a number with a number value behind it. It will be clear what the number is. If it’s 5 percent we pay 5 percent more,” Heater added.
In addition, workers with serious medical conditions or injuries who are on long-term disability will be able to stay on the insurance for six months. The union had opposed an earlier recommendation by hospital administration to reduce that to three months.
“It stays at six months. That was big issue – we were determined to keep that if we could. That’s when you need it the most,” Heater said.
“We are pleased to have reached a mutually acceptable agreement and will continue moving forward with all of our associates and physicians in our shared commitment to serve the healthcare needs of our community,” the hospital said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
The new contact eliminates a planned one-day strike approved by union members Sept. 21. Just two-hours before delivering a 10-day strike notice to the hospital and publicly announcing the date of the one-day strike, the announcement was postponed at the request of the third-party mediator in the talks.
The two sides came together Friday. Heater said negotiations on Friday went from 10 a.m. to about 5 p.m., and ended with a tentative agreement.
“Over the weekend and on Monday, we got the word out to members, telling them the committee was recommending a tentative agreement. It’s a good contract moving forward,” she added.
The tentative agreement was announced Monday.
The contract between the hospital and the workers represented by the SEIU expired on Aug. 31, but was extended while talks continued. The new contract is retroactive to Sept. 6.
The union represents licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, lab technicians, radiologic technologists, ER technicians as well as other professional, service, maintenance and technical employees at PMMC.
To reach Business Editor Donna Rovins call 610-850-0272. Email business story ideas to drovins@pottsmerc.com
