Nurses, Children's Hospital reach tentative agreement

[Omaha Steve]

http://origin.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_7241612

Contract would provide pay increases, guarantee staffing coverage
, FROM STAFF REPORTS
Article Launched: 10/21/2007 02:36:28 AM PDT

OAKLAND — Registered nurses have reached a tentative contract agreement with Children's Hospital Oakland.

The nearly 650 nurses, represented by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, were scheduled to vote Friday on whether to ratify the agreement.

Children's Hospital Oakland was not involved in the large two-day strike that nurses waged last week against 13 Bay Area hospitals affiliated with Sutter Health. That dispute remains unresolved.

If ratified, the Children's Hospital agreement will provide pay increases of 16 percent over three years, and guarantee staffing coverage to ensure that nurses can take meal and rest breaks.

It also will include assurances that new technology will not displace nurses or interfere with their professional judgment.