UTICA, N.Y. — Registered nurses at Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) voted to ratify a new contract that runs through Dec. 31, 2027, MVHS and the union announced in separate news releases.
The contract, the first for NYSNA nurses at Wynn Hospital since it opened and nurses from the former St. Elizabeth Medical Center and Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare merged into one union, includes across-the-board pay raises between 13.9 percent and 21 percent over the life of the contract and retroactive to January. It also includes pay increases to retain nurses and provides nurses the opportunity to appeal staffing violations to a third-party mediator if MVHS violates agreed-upon staffing plans.
“We are thrilled to have reached this agreement, which we believe offers competitive benefits and opportunities for our nurses,” MVHS President/CEO Darlene Stromstad said in the MVHS release. “This contract will support our ongoing efforts to recruit and retain top nursing talent while ensuring the highest quality of care for our patients.”
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MVHS and the union have been negotiating since November 2024 to reach the agreement. The previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2024.
Along with pay increases, the three-year contract includes stronger staffing enforcement and break coverage, as well as reduced costs for health insurance.
“We are confident that the staffing improvements, along with important wage increases and lowered insurance costs, will help MVHS-Wynn Hospital recruit and retain nurses to ensure that Utica patients receive the best care possible,” Local Union President Sheila Conley said in the union’s release.