UMass Memorial Marlborough Reaches Union Contract Agreement

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The State Healthcare and Research Employees union (SHARE) formed in UMass Memorial — Marlborough Hospital a year ago in April and have reached a tentative agreement for the union contract. This will be the first contract for the union at Marlborough Hospital.

SHARE started in UMass Memorial Hospital in Worcester in 1997 as well as UMass Medical School. The union had been negotiating a three-year contract with Marlborough hospital since last summer and the hospital announced on Tuesday, the two sides had reached a tentative agreement.

The full 200-member union will vote to ratify the agreement next month. According to the hospital, the agreement includes salary increases, the restoration of daily overtime, holiday and vacation scheduling, creation of a labor management committee and other important issues impacting both the union and Marlborough Hospital.

SHARE said the priorities for the union in negotiations were good raises, having a voice in the day to day activities of the hospital and retribution for overtime.

"We worked hard on this contract and we are proud of it. We truly hope we can provide the best care for our patients, and make Marlborough Hospital the gem of the UMass Memorial system,"said Leslie Kendall an employee in the Emergency Room Registration and member of the SHARE Negotiating Team.

“This has been a thorough process and I am very pleased that both sides worked collaboratively to ensure we have the best deal possible for our caregivers,” said Steve Roach, president of UMass Memorial – Marlborough Hospital. “Thanks to the hard work of the bargaining teams, once this contract is ratified we will have a substantial period to strengthen the relationship between the hospital and the SHARE members. Providing the best patient care and experience possible is a commitment Marlborough Hospital shares with all of its caregivers and this negotiation period has been no exception,” Roach added.

In the months leading up to the negotiations and during the negotiations, SHARE held regular events in Marlborough for staff and union members to attend. A small social media campaign started with the tagline, "Marlborough Hospital works because we do."

The union includes certified nursing assistants, technologists from all fields including radiology, secretaries and administrative staff and mental health staff.

On the union website, the goals of the group are detailed, "Some of us work directly to support cutting edge research. Some of us save lives, literally, with our own hands, every day that we come to work. Every one of us pushes toward important goals in our workplace," the page reads, "We support ambitious missions in research, education, and patient care at UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Hospital. These institutions work because we do."