UC, CNA reach agreement on new contract for nurses

The University of California and the California Nurses Association have reached an agreement on a new four-year labor contract for UC’s more than 14,000 nurses who work in UC medical and student health facilities. UC and CNA negotiators reached a tentative agreement on September 14 and nurses recently voted to approve the agreement.

Highlights of the agreement:

• Wages: Annual 3 percent across-the-board salary increases for the next four years, plus annual step increases for eligible nurses. Nurses at some locations will receive additional increases in some years based on local market needs. UC has a strong record of providing its nurses with market-competitive pay and benefits and these wage increases help ensure that salaries for UC nurses remain competitive.
• Health benefits: Nurses will enjoy continued access to excellent health insurance. Similar to the previous contract, nurses will pay the same medical plan rates as other UC employees with similar salaries, with a $25/month cap (limit) on health insurance premium increases for Kaiser and Blue and Gold plans.
• Retirement benefits: Continued excellent retirement benefits for nurses. By mutual agreement, new nurses will receive the same pension benefits as current nurses until April 2020, after which time either side may reopen the issue.
• Other: Increased job security for per diems and floating nurses, and workplace health and safety improvements.
• Duration: The terms of the agreement will be in effect through October 31, 2022.

Full contract details will be available on UCnet in the coming weeks.

For more information, visit ucal.us/UCnurses