PUYALLUP, Wash. — Shortly after voting to authorize a strike, nurses represented by the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) reached a new tentative contract agreement with MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.
"We got a historic and amazing contract," said Jared Richardson, a registered nurse on the medical-surgical unit and co-chair of the WSNA bargaining team. "I'm thrilled."
The two sides announced a deal was reached Thursday morning, hours after the WSNA said over 95% of the nurses at MultiCare Good Samaritan voted to authorize a strike. The two sides bargained for 20 hours.
As part of the agreement, nurses will get 12-24% raises, ratification bonuses of $3,500, dedicated nurse breaks, a charge nurse and flex nurse for every unit and staffing plans, according to WSNA.
Richardson said the contract will help retain nurses and attract new ones.
The main points of contention for the nurses, according to the WSNA, are staffing and dedicated break nurses. WSNA says nurses at Good Samaritan regularly go 12-hour shifts without being able to take a break to use the bathroom, eat or rest.
By law, the union must give the hospital 10 days' notice of a strike. WSNA said the 19th bargaining session between the two sides continued "into the night" Wednesday.
"We are pleased that we have reached a tentative agreement with WSNA. The agreement still needs to be ratified and we look forward to completing the process," the hospital told KING 5 in a written statement.
Union members are expected to vote on ratification June 29.