NORTHAMPTON — Nearly 690 Cooley Dickinson Hospital healthcare workers have overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract that includes pay raises and bonuses.
Unionized hospital staff, including respiratory therapists, physical therapists, surgical techs, phlebotomists, transporters and environmental services workers, ratified the new contract with a 97% yes vote, according to a Facebook post published by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, which represented the workers in negotiations with the hospital over the last nine months.
“Healthcare workers deserve to feel heard and valued. I’m proud to have been a part of the process that helped us win this new contract,” wrote Kamirah Cisero, a pharmacy technician.
The new contract includes a 2% pay raise across the wage scale both in the first and second years, along with pay-step movement for all employees. Additionally, 1199SEIU Administrative Organizer Wendy Morin said full-time employees will receive a $1,000 bonus, while part-time employees will receive a $600 bonus and per-diem employees will receive a $300 bonus under the contract.
The contract also created a new pay step — step 20, which accounts for a 1.75% increase over step 19, Morin said. After July 1, 2027, all Cooley Dickinson employees who are not at or above the top step of the wage scale will advance to the next step.
Employees already at or above the top step will receive a lump sum bonus equal to 1.75% of their base wage increase, according to Andrew Farnitano, a spokesperson for the union. A similar pay grade increase will also be administered in the third year of the contract.
“The new contract is a step in the right direction, especially as healthcare funding and access are threatened. Our agreement does not meet the rising cost of living, but reinforces that we must build to win what we deserve in the future,” said physical therapist assistant Kiley Perrone in a statement. “I’m proud of what my co-workers and I were able to accomplish together, and there’s room for improvement to protect jobs and care at Cooley.”
In a written statement, Cooley Dickinson President and CEO Kevin Whitney said he was “pleased” to have reached an agreement with the union.
“Cooley Dickinson Hospital is pleased to have an agreement with 1199SEIU that supports our workforce and our long-term sustainability to provide care for our Pioneer Valley community,” Whitney wrote. “This new contract increases pay and has competitive benefits for those who keep our hospital running all day every day, and reflects our shared commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality care for our patients.”
Noting that the cost of living in the area hit $26.31 per hour during negotiations, Morin said Cooley Dickinson employees earning roughly $20 an hour still have not passed that threshold. She said that while the union celebrates this new contract, it will continue to fight for hospital employees to earn a living wage.
“We need the workers, and the workers need a decent living wage. We weren’t able to get them the living wage rate that we wanted, but in the future, I hope we can. Every year, we fight for more,” Morin said. “It starts anywhere from housekeeping to the people making the food for the patients to the ones doing actual hands-on care. It’s every department — every department matters. I don’t care how low they think they should be paid, every department deserves a living wage.”
The union, which represents 687, or 70%, of Cooley Dickinson employees, held multiple demonstrations as contract negotiations continued for nine months. Morin thanked union representatives, hospital staff and the community at large for their continuous efforts to rally for the contract.
