St. Mary Medical Center Nurses Ratify Three-Year Contract, Averting Picket

Nurses at St. Mary Medical Center have voted to ratify a new three-year contract.

The new contract between the nurses and hospital management averted a planned informational picket earlier this week.

The agreement, which covers approximately 630 registered nurses, was approved by 94 percent of members voting, according to the nurses’ union.

The deal follows an 18-hour negotiation session on Monday between hospital leadership and the St. Mary United Nurses Union (SMUNU), an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP).

The contract focuses on nurse retention and patient safety. Both are issues that were central to the bargaining campaign and have become key issues for the nurses after changes at the hospital in Middletown Township.

“We’re incredibly proud that we were able to secure a strong contract for ourselves and our patients without the need for a public action,” said Julia Smith, RN, a coronary care unit nurse and co-president of SMUNU.

The hospital, which is part of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, which is part of the national 92-hospital Trinity Health system, described the agreement as a win for both the staff and the community.

“The agreement is in the best interest of our colleagues and patients, with a focus on supporting our nurses in their essential role,” said Jason Griffith, regional communications manager for Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic.

The hospital spokesperson added that the contract make sure the hospital continues to serve as a “compassionate and transforming healing presence.”

The three-year deal, which the second since the nurses unionized in 2019. It includes several measures designed to address staffing shortages and bedside care.

In 2020, the hospital’s then-nearly 800 nurses went on strike until a new contract was reached.

The union said nurses will see base wage increases of up to 17 percent over the life of the contract.

In addition, increases were secured for various shifts, including $5 per hour for night shifts and $4 per hour for evening and weekend shifts, the union stated.

The contract locks in staffing grids through Dec. 31, 2027, and nurses in orientation will no longer be counted toward staffing totals. Additionally, charge nurses will see reduced patient assignments.

The union said it successfully fought to maintain “Just Culture” provisions, which protect employees who report medical errors or “near-misses” from retaliation, focusing on systemic improvements rather than punishment.

“Maintaining strong Just Culture language is absolutely essential to support that work, to support our caregivers, and to support patients,” said Paulette Petrizzi, a quality analyst at the hospital.

Union leadership stated that the competitive wages and improved working conditions are designed to keep seasoned staff at the bedside.

Debbi Bozeman, a medical-surgical nurse at St. Mary Medical Center for nine years, stated the contract “respects the expertise seasoned nurses bring.”

The ratification concludes months of intense negotiations.

SMUNU Co-President Bob Bozek said the work between management and the union shows a commitment to lifting the hospital up as an “industry leader” in the region.

“We feel seen and heard by management with this contract,” said Joe Gentile, a 47-year veteran nurse in the hospital’s Cath Lab. “We do have a seat at the table.”