ACMH Hospital nurses and techs get 15%-23% wage increases in new labor pact

About 317 nurses and techs at ACMH Hospital in East Franklin will receive wage increases between 15% and 23% over the next two years, according to a new three-year contract.

The contract was announced Friday by two unions involved. It was ratified Thursday.

A representative from ACMH Hospital did not respond immediately to a request for comment or to verify the information released by the union.

According to the unions’ announcement:

• The unions and hospital agreed to a new three-year contract;

• Nurses and techs will receive wage increases of between 15% and 23% over the next two years. That will included new, additional compensation based on experience.

• The hospital will dedicate almost $500,000 in additional nurse staffing to help with patient care and minimize nurse reassignment.

• For the first time, techs and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) have enforceable staffing language to ensure successful recruitment and retention.

The unions did not provide details or give a salary range for any of the positions.

The deal was negotiated by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP), representing ACMH Nurses United and ACMH Techs United. The two labor groups combined for a joint negotiation and plan to continue to work together for future contracts, PASNAP said.

“Signing the contract was a major victory for the union, its members and the community,” said Sandra Harrison, 59, of Butler, PASNAP’s treasurer and an operating room nurse at the hospital for 39 years. “Patient care was always our top priority.”

When the hospital’s 97 technicians began negotiating their contract in the spring with their staffing concerns, adding to the nurses’ contract talks “the negotiations moved forward,” according to the union.

The tech workers’ contract expired in July, said Cris Scott, 59, of Ford City, a medical lab tech at ACMH, who has worked there for 40 years. Scott is president of the tech and LPN division of PASNAP.

“This contract is important,” she said. “In health care, there is a staffing crisis, and ACMH is no exception to that.”

In March, the hospital’s 220 nurses went on a five-day strike to raise awareness of staffing issues “that were affecting morale, nurse retention and quality of care — their focus not only in their strike but in bargaining for a new contract,” the union said in a news release.

The union’s goal in negotiations was to improve wages to help with the recruitment and retention of hospital nurses and techs, Scott said.

“We felt that would benefit the employees, the hospital, which benefits patients as we recruit and maintain staff,” she said.

Both hospital groups “overwhelmingly ratified” the new labor agreement, according to the union’s statement.