USC Norris Cancer Hospital workers unanimously ratify contract
Service and technical workers, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, unanimously ratified their first contract Wednesday with the University of Southern California’s Norris Cancer Hospital.
The one-year agreement includes wage scales with average raises ranging from 3 to 9 percent, with some up to 16 percent, bringing them in line with NUHW-represented workers at USC’s Keck Medical Center.
The contract also guarantees Norris caregivers the same benefits enjoyed by Keck employees: retirement benefits, tuition assistance, employer-paid health insurance for workers and their families, annual wage increases, and other workplace rights.
Additionally, caregivers will get a voice in the hospital’s staffing and safety policies through the creation of a Patient Care Committee.
“This is a huge win for Norris workers,” said Barbara Buckley, Radiation Therapist. “We won a contract that finally makes us full members of the Trojan Family, provides job security, and guarantees us better pay and workplace rights.”
NUHW represents 130 caregivers at Norris, including patient care assistants, licensed vocational nurses, monitor techs, respiratory therapists, radiology techs, lab assistants, pharmacy techs, and materials management clerks.
Nearly 100 more USC employees have joined NUHW in recent months. The addition of new members from various Keck Medical Center clinics and units brings NUHW’s total USC membership to more than 1,000 caregivers.