University of California nurses ratify new three-year contract

New contract covering all UC medical centers, clinics, and student health centers

Sacramento, Calif. – Registered nurses at University of California (UC) facilities across the state voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract, California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) has announced.

This contract reflects the successful effort of CNA and the University to reach a successor agreement that recognizes the service and sacrifice of nurses during this moment, when both parties committed to engaging in a professional process that resulted in this historic settlement. The new agreement addresses key patient care and workplace safety issues while focusing resources to recognize, recruit, and retain nurses across facilities in the UC system.

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“UC nurses are proud to ratify our new contract with the University,” said Dahlia Tayag, an RN and bargaining team member who works at UC San Diego. “This agreement recognizes and rewards registered nurses for our service and commitment to our patients and communities across the UC system, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“UC nurses have been preparing for these negotiations and we were committed to winning the contract our members deserved,” continued Tayag. “The administration’s decision to prioritize investing in UC nurses resulted in this successor agreement, which will improve the patient care we provide.”

Highlights of the contract include:

• Victories around key issues: Improvements to patient care, workplace safety, and union rights, including protections from potential subcontracting of RN work. The new agreement also creates two joint labor-management committees focused on key system-wide issues: one on Health, Safety, and Emerging Infectious Diseases and another on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Benefits improvements, including eight weeks of fully paid Family Care and Bonding leave and Juneteenth recognized as a holiday.
• No takeaways to health care, pension, or any other benefits protected in our contract.
• Major economic improvements, including minimum across-the-board wage increases of 16 percent over the term of the agreement and additional increases for UC San Diego and UC Irvine, which reduce regional wage disparity across the UC system.

“Nurses have been leaders throughout this pandemic,” said Tayag, who is also a member of the CNA Board of Directors. “With our new union contract, we have made major improvements for patient care, workplace safety, and union rights. This sets a new standard for RN contracts in California and beyond.”

The new pact will expire in October 2025. CNA/NNU represents approximately 18,000 RNs, NPs, CRNAs and Transplant Coordinators across the University of California system.

The new agreement covers nurses who work at UC San Diego, UC San Francisco, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Riverside.