Butler Memorial Hospital and its technical professionals union have reached a contract that calls for a minimum 3% wage increase over the next three years.
The three-year contract was announced Friday night by both Independence Health and the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals.
The union represents 235 surgical techs, respiratory therapists, LPNs, radiology techs and other frontline healthcare professionals at Butler Memorial Hospital.
Butler Memorial Hospital is owned by Independence Health, though the entire system is being acquired by the West Virginia University Health System.
It comes after 10 months of negotiations and three days before a strike was planned. Some 96% of techs voted in favor of the contract, the union reported.
“We knew when we came to the bargaining table that we needed, for the sake of our patient community, to do everything we could to retain our experienced techs with a contract that respects the expertise we bring to the bedside and the essential role we play in patient care — and we did that,” said Monica Johnson, a respiratory therapist, in a statement.
The union had threatened a five-day strike next week over issues including wages, staffing, healthcare costs and respect.
According to the union, the contract includes an experienced-based wage scale intended to recognize and reward experience. Base salaries for positions were not immediately available.
The contract also outlines a financial penalty for involuntary schedule changes that happen more than three times per year.
“We are grateful for the dedication and professionalism that brought this agreement to completion,” said Matthew Schnur, president of Butler Memorial and Clarion hospitals. “We are proud of our team and confident in our continued ability to serve the Butler community with high-quality, expert care close to home. This agreement helps support our workforce while keeping our focus where it belongs — on the patients and families who count on us every day.”