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Editor's Note: A portion of the following story was omitted from Monday's edition.
SALEM-The nurses union ratified a new contract with the Salem Regional Medical Center Sunday, averting a potential strike.
"We are thankful for the support from community members, Senator Sherrod Brown, and local businessman Raymond Cox; their support helps enforce our need for minimum staffing standards in Ohio's hospitals," President of the Salem Registered Nurses Association and Oncology nurse at Salem Regional Medical Center Sara Harkleroad.
The new contract is effective April 21, 2024-April 20, 2027 and was ratified by a majority of the nurses through voting session Saturday and Sunday which were finalized Sunday afternoon, averting a strike that would have begun at 7 a.m. Monday and included 120 nurses represented by the Ohio Nurses Association, American Federation of Teachers, and Salem Regional Nurses Association.
The agreement came after two all-day negotiation sessions Tuesday, and Friday, with Harkleroad announcing that the agreement had been reached and would be presented to union members following 16-hours of negotiations at approximately 11:30 p.m. Friday.
According to a press release issued by the Ohio Nurses Association following the contract's ratification, the agreement "includes several key provisions that support safe, sustainable patient care," including:
"A commitment from the SRMC to collaborate with the ONA local nurses to address staffing levels and guidelines across all patient care units. Improvements to the wage scale to bring nurses' pay closer to the market to attract and retain skilled nurses and resolves internal inequities by paying all nurses based on their years of experience as registered nurses. Maintenance or enhancement of important working conditions related to leave time and work-life balance, reflecting the union's emphasis on promoting a healthy work-life balance among nurses. Preservation of a final and binding arbitration victory achieved by the union in 2023, protecting nurses from involuntary transfers and other changes in working conditions, recognizing the crucial role of the nurses' autonomy and stable working conditions in ensuring patient safety."
According to the release while the contract did see the nurses receive concessions on stated priorities including wages and staff and patient safety, the implementation of minimum staffing standards and "nationally recognized nurse-to-patient ratios," that were listed as the union's "primary concern" in a press release issued alongside the union's ten-day strike notice, which has now been formally rescinded, on April 12 were not implemented in the contract. However, in the release Harkleroad said the future implementation of those standards would continue to be the union's priority.
"Nurses solidarity and the overwhelming support we received from the community forced hospital executives to address our demands for patient and nurse safety at the bargaining table. Though we didn't get minimum staffing standards included in this contract, we will continue to push hospital executives to make this a mandate so the safety of patients, nurses, and all of the hospital's health professionals is a top priority and requirement." said Harkleroad.
When reached for comment directly Harkleroad reiterated the union's commitment to collaborating with SRMC officials to address staffing issues.
"We were hoping for a bit more movement with the staffing ratios, however, we're going to work very closely with the hospital going forward to work on improving staffing," said Harkleroad.
The hospital has maintained its commitment to continuing good-faith negotiations to resolve the issue and agree on a new contract since the strike-notice was first issued, with a statement issued by Salem Regional Medical Center Vice President of Marketing and Planning Debbie Pietrzak on April 12 noting that the "Salem Regional Medical Center is one of the few independent hospitals that is still not-for-profit, which means that generating a profit is not our motive," and that the SRMC's "top priority is taking care of our patients and providing a safety net of healthcare services for our community."
In a statement issued in response to the contract's ratification Pietrzak notes that while SRMC cannot provide specific details of the contract it reflected SRMC's and the unions mutual emphasis on ensuring high quality patient care, and safe working environments for all SRMC staff, and was demonstrative that SRMC follows safe staffing standards. The statement also thanks all SRMC staff for their work in providing that care, and to the community for its ongoing support.
"Resolution of the contract reflects our shared goals of providing the highest-quality patient care and creating a safe and supportive working environment for all of our staff. While we are unable to share any details, the agreement offers SRMC nurses a competitive compensation package reflective of our Mahoning Valley market; and confirms to the union that SRMC follows safe staffing standards.
We want to thank all our SRMC staff for the exceptional care they provide to our patients every day; and our community for their continued support. SRMC is a great organization with great staff, and we have faithfully served this community for 110 years. We remain committed to this mission," reads the statement.
The ONA's release also argues that the negotiations in Salem were reflective of the ONA's efforts statewide, including its support of House Bill 285, which was introduced by Ohio Representatives Haraz N. Ghanbari and Elgin Rogers, Jr., in September and "aims to bolster support for nurses and prioritize patient safety," and "includes legally enforceable minimum nurse-to-patient staffing standards, whistleblower protection, and a loan-to-grant program to strengthen the nursing workforce."
"Through determination and unification, Salem nurses sent a loud and clear message to Salem Regional Medical Center executives: we will always fight for our patients and ourselves for the sake of safety and better working conditions," said BSN, RN, CCRN, and Ohio Nurses Association President and Executive Director Rick Lucas. "This contract offer is a big step in the right direction but the battle to achieve minimum staffing standards in all of Ohio's hospitals is far from over. ONA will not back down until House Bill 285 is passed and all Ohio hospitals have legally enforceable safe staffing standards in place!"