Christus, workers agree to three-year contract

Christus St. Vincent and the hospital’s workers union agreed Wednesday to a new three-year contract that calls for at least a 2 percent raise and only one increase in health insurance premiums that will be locked in for three years, the union said.

The contract was announced Monday. Christus St. Vincent and the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees District 1199NM negotiated from Aug. 15 to Aug. 26. The union represents about 400 nurses and technicians.

“We negotiated what are the most important issues,” Local 1199NM secretary Lillie Sandoval said in an interview. “We didn’t do the entire contract.”

The union ratified the contract Aug. 26, five days before the current contract expired.

“Over the years, Christus St. Vincent has worked closely with District 1199NM to ensure we work together and remain committed to negotiating in good faith,” Christus St. Vincent CEO Lillian Montoya said in a news release. “The result is that we were able to quickly reach an agreement with our nurses and licensed technicians.”

The hospital declined to discuss contract specifics, hospital spokesman Arturo Delgado said.

“I think both sides were pretty satisfied,” he said. “We were able to negotiate a raise for three years.”

Raises vary for different positions, but annual increases will be at least 2 percent. Sandoval said salaries for some positions will be increased to market value.

A three-tier health insurance plan was reduced to two tiers. There will be one unspecified increase for the first year and that rate will remain in place for all three years, she said.

“We were able to negotiate to a lesser increase,” Sandoval said.