Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Workers Ratify Tentative Agreement with Management
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2012 – Contact Leighton Woodhouse: (213) 948-3545
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Workers Ratify Tentative Agreement with Management
Salinas, California – Members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital (SVMH) approved a Tentative Agreement reached on Monday between management and the union in a vote of 388 in favor to 1 against, or 99% percent in favor of ratification, with a 54% turnout.
Tomorrow, the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System Board of Directors will vote on the Tentative Agreement, which comes with a recommendation to approve from the hospital’s bargaining team.
The agreement caps a lengthy and acrimonious public battle between hospital employees and a majority of the Board’s members.
“We’re relieved and elated that we’ve finally reached a successful conclusion to negotiations that were at times very difficult,” said George Ross, a Licensed Vocational Nurse at the hospital. “We knew that if we stuck together, we’d win a fair contract in the end. We couldn’t be happier with what we’ve achieved.”
Details of the contract settlement will be made available following the Board’s vote to approve the Tentative Agreement.