Chambersburg Hospital Workers Win New Contract

Contract ensures the hospital will be able to continue to recruit and retain dedicated caregivers

Chambersburg Hospital workers, their families and the community of Chambersburg, PA community are celebrating the settlement of a new union contract. A 97% vote to ratify the new contract brought a successful conclusion to more than 2 months of bargaining. In the end, the workers won wages and benefits that make sure they can meet the rising costs of living and have a secure retirement for the future.

"We feel really good about this contract for what it means for the whole community. This contract means continuing our hospital's record of providing excellent quality care and providing the good jobs that benefit our economy," said Bill Merkle, RN, a registered nurse at the hospital.

Approximately 1300 Chambersburg Hospital employees are members of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, including nurses, aides, technicians, therapists, clerical and service and maintenance workers. The most important issue for workers going in to negotiations was keeping their pension. Many saw the pension as an attractive benefit that helped to recruit and retain staff at the hospital.

"I left a private physical therapy practice in order to work for the Chambersburg Hospital mainly because of the excellent benefits, including a defined-benefit pension plan. Now I am proud to be a part of a team that is 5-star rated for total joint replacement and offers excellent care in many other areas," said Jim Kinton,  a physical therapist.

"It's really important for our hospital to have wage and benefit packages that will attract the best caregeivers to the hospital and keep them here," said Sue Walker, a mammography technician at the hospital.

In addition to maintaining the defined-benefit pension plan for current and future employees, highlights of the contract include:

• Wage increases of 4% in the first year, 4% in the second year, 5% in the third year, and 5% in the fourth year. In addition, over half the employees also receive upgrades that will raise wages an additional 11% on average effective immediately.
  
  
• The new contract maintains affordable healthcare for families, including 100% employer-paid healthcare for employees with more than five years of service and an affordable prescription drug plan.