Nurses at the University of Illinois Medical Center (the “Medical Center”) overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new three-year contract covering more than 1,000 nurses represented by the Illinois Nurses Association (the “Union”). The contract includes enhanced staffing language, a bonus program and wage increases of up to 17.85% over the three-year contract term.

As to staffing, the new contract provides that, except in emergency situations, charge nurses working the day and evening shifts in several units, including intensive care units, will no longer have direct care patient assignments.  This change will result in the addition of 20 to 25 new nurses and will allow charge nurses to focus on patient flow and provide assistance and leadership to the nurses and other employees in the unit.  The Union’s attorney noted that the elimination of the patient care assignments was the first such language in the State of Illinois.

The parties also agreed to a unique quarterly bonus system tied to patient satisfaction outcomes.  Under the bonus system, the Medical Center will set measurable targets in its four divisions: emergency, inpatient, outpatient and ambulatory services. Nurses who meet the targets will be eligible for bonuses of up to $250 per quarter. The bonuses will be in addition to the wage increases over the contract term.

The contract negotiations began in June 2011. In late December, nurses voted to reject the Medical Center’s proposals on overtime, incentive pay and grievance benefits, and authorized the Union to issue a strike notice. The parties returned to the table in January and were able to reach agreement without a strike.

Hospitals across the country are increasingly faced with the threat of strikes, pickets and rallies as nurses’ unions push for staffing language, including mandatory patient-nurse staffing ratios. In 2010, nurses in Minnesota engaged in the largest nursing strike in national history over staffing ratios. Nurses in California planned a similar state-wide strike, although, the strike was converted to rallies after a federal judge issued a restraining order prohibiting the strike. Nurses’ unions are also pushing for federal legislation aimed at mandatory staffing ratios.

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