Sharp HealthCare Nurses Ratify 'Best Ever' Labor Deal

SAN DIEGO -- The registered nurses of the Sharp Professional Nurses Network labor union said Nov. 8 that they've ratified a new three-year contract with Sharp HealthCare which includes significant wage increases and other improvements to address the union’s concern over nurse recruitment and retention.

The contract, which was was officially approved by a majority vote, although the official tally wasn't pubicly disclosed. The ratification came after five months of difficult, often contentious negotiations.

An Oct. 6 rally at the San Diego Convention Center attended by hundreds of nurses and supporters, in response to which Sharp canceled their annual Sharp Experience employee event. Then, on Nov. 10, the nurses announced their vote to authorize a strike over unfair labor practice charges against the employer and the nurse turnover crisis at Sharp.

On. Nov. 17, the nurses delivered their federally-required ten-day notice to strike, with the strike scheduled to begin Nov. 28, the Monday after Thanksgiving. The strike was averted on Nov. 27 by last-minute negotiations that extended into the following week and led to the tentative agreement announced on Dec. 2.

“This is the best contract we’ve ever had,” said Christina Magnusen, an RN in the Sharp Grossmont Surgical Intensive Care Unit and president of the nurses union. “We’ve lost increasing numbers of nurses in recent years to better-paying hospitals in San Diego. This contract takes some big steps toward closing the gap, so by helping us keep well-trained, experienced nurses at the bedside and encouraging newer nurses to stay and make their careers here, it will help improve patient care."

"There’s still more to be done to tackle nurse recruitment and retention," Magnusen said, "but Sharp nurses can be proud of how we stood up together for our patients and community.”

"We’re happy that we’ve won a contract that will help fix the problem,” said Denise Duncan, an RN and president of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals, of which the Sharp Professional Nurses Network is an affiliate.

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