The Santa Clarita Valley’s community hospital and the union that represents more than 600 of its nurses announced they agreed to terms for their latest contract, ending months of protracted negotiations.
“We, the nurses of Henry Mayo, are excited to have reached a deal with the hospital,” Clarissa Vela, a registered nurse in palliative care at the hospital, said in a prepared statement. “We strongly feel that this contract meets the needs of our patients and community by retaining experienced staff and recruiting new staff.”
Her union’s statement indicated nurses at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia “voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a new three-year contract on (Wednesday),” according to a news release issued Thursday from California Nurses Association and National Nurses United (CNA/NNU).
The hospital also indicated it was happy with the latest developments in a statement Thursday.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with their union representatives on a nurses’ labor contract that serves the best interests of our nurses, our patients, our hospital, and our community,” according to the statement Thursday from Patrick Moody, director of marketing and public relations for the hospital. “It is especially meaningful that it received full ratification by our nurses, underscoring our shared commitment to excellence in patient care.”
While there were no specifics given publicly, officials with the nurses union indicated in its statement there were four highlights that were fought for by the union: benefits to improve recruitment and retention of staff nurses; language that improves safe staffing and nurse advocacy; improvement of access to bereavement leave; and improvement to protected leaves.
In January, about a week ahead of the expiration of the union’s previous contract with the hospital, the California Nurses Association, on behalf of Henry Mayo’s nurses, filed a complaint against the hospital alleging a violation of 8(g) of the National Labor Relations Act. The measure prohibits labor organizations from “engaging in strikes, picketing, or other concerted refusals to work at any health care institution without providing at least 10 days’ written notice.”
The following month, a contingent of local nurses spoke out at the Feb. 25 Santa Clarita City Council meeting asking the council for a letter of support. No response was given from the dais at the meeting or at subsequent meetings.
In April, the nurses held a rally to protest the administration’s refusal to address RNs’ ongoing concerns about safe staffing and safe working conditions.
The contract became effective Wednesday upon its signing, and it’s valid until Jan. 22, 2028, according to the hospital. The results of the vote were not made publicly available Thursday.
