Danbury Nurses Approve Contract

Danbury Hospital and its nurses union, Unit 47, AFT-CT, agreed on a new contract after two months of negotiations. The new contract was reached on March 31, and it was approved the next day by the union members.

Nurses who are not on the top step of their salary schedule will receive 2 percent in the first and second years of the three-year contract. In the third year, nurses will receive a 2.25 percent increase.

“Having a union provides our nurses with a voice at the table,” said Mary Consoli, president of Unit 47. “We are satisfied we were able to come to an agreement.”

The new contract was ratified April 1 by the Danbury Nurses Union, Unit 47, AFT-CT, AFT Healthcare, AFL-CIO.

In a separate part of the contract, the union and hospitals negotiated a new insurance plan that lowered costs for both the hospital and union members for the first year. In the second and third year, both parties agreed to negotiate specifics before going out to bid for coverage that will include workers at both Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital. The goal is to buy the best insurance at the most cost effective price.

The contract also included language that lets nurses receive daily overtime for working beyond their scheduled shift and to receive a bonus for working a hard-to-fill night shift in addition to their regular schedule.