A lengthy contract dispute between nurses and management at a western Massachusetts hospital has been settled, and a threatened strike averted.
Baystate Franklin Medical Center and the Massachusetts Nurses Association announced a tentative agreement Friday on a new five year contract. Negotiations had dragged on for two years, and nurses had called a one day strike for Monday. Now, hospital president Chuck Gijanto said all acrimony will be in the past.
"We together, we are united, we are going to recommit to take care of all the patients in our community."
The 200 nurses will receive pay raises and bonuses and the hospital will pay a larger share for their family health insurance. The hospital dropped a demand to calculate overtime on a weekly rather than a daily basis in return for a one-hour grace period before overtime would apply. Linda Judd, a long time nurse at the hospital said she was thrilled.
