Nurses endorse new contract with Olympic Medical Center

Published 5:36 am Sunday, February 3, 2008

PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center commissioners will consider ratifying on Wednesday a contract endorsed by nearly all hospital nurses.

“We thought it was a good contract,” said Mary Reynolds, a nurse at OMC for 16 years and a representative to the executive board of Service Employees International Union 1199 NW.

Negotiations had stalled last year. The agreement was reached after mediation.

The three-year agreement gives nurses a 3 percent raise each year, Reynolds said.

It grants raises of 3 percent in 2008, 4 percent in 2009 and 3 percent in 2010 to housekeepers and maintenance workers.

The levels equal what CEO Eric Lewis last month said was budgeted for 2008.

The union had sought a 5 percent increase.

Wednesday’s commission meeting will start at 6 p.m. in Linkletter Hall in the basement of the hospital, 939 Caroline St.