Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Butler Hospital's unionized staff today ratified a new three-year contract that includes annual pay raises and limits the use of "travel" nurses, whose use is a nettlesome factor for the psychiatric center's employees.

Members of the union representing nearly 300 nurses, mental-health workers and other employees had voted earlier in the week to strike if their contract demands were not met. The members of District 1199, the New England Health Care Employees Union/SEIU picketed the hospital earlier in the week to call attention to the contract issues that remained unresolved to that point. The nurses had been working under an extension of a three-year contract since March 31.

But just before midnight Wednesday, union negotiators reached an agreement with management that will keep staff members working. Staff members voted throughout the day today, ultimately approving a new three-year contract, according to a hospital statement.

The new contract includes annual pay raises of 4 percent, 4.25 percent and 4 percent, respectively, limits the use of contracted staff ans excludes mental-health workers from having to work mandatory overtime. The new contract maintains the union members' current health-care coverage.

Hospital management says the use of travel nurses, who work on contracts through temporary staffing agencies, is rare but necessary.

The 117-bed private pyschiatric and substance abuse treatment facility has used travel nurses in the past, according to a hospital spokeswoman. About 2 percent of the nursing shifts are filled by the temporary workers.

-- Journal staff writer Paul Grimaldi

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