Colorado RNs Secure Historic First Private-Sector Union Contract

Nurses Secure Landmark Contract in Colorado's Private Sector

Registered nurses at CommonSpirit Longmont United Hospital (LUH) in Longmont, Colorado, have made a significant breakthrough by unanimously approving a new three-year contract. This historic agreement, announced by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), marks the first union contract for LUH nurses and the inaugural acute care private-sector contract for RNs in Colorado.

"We started organizing because our community deserves the best care when they come to our hospital, and our nurses deserve support to be the best nurses they can be," expressed Kris Kloster, RN from the post-anesthesia care unit. "I am so proud of the work we have accomplished at the table, and we couldn’t have done it without the solidarity of nurses in our facility. Together, we win!”

Key Contract Elements

• Nurse Staffing Improvements: Enhanced protections for RN floating and cancellation to bolster patient care and nursing practice standards.
• Professional Practice Committee: Monthly meetings between RNs and management to discuss patient care challenges.
• Meal and Rest Breaks: Provisions ensuring the safety of nurses and patients.
• Health and Safety Measures: Guaranteed access to top-tier personal protective equipment for infectious disease care.
• Competitive Wages: Salaries aligned with Denver metro standards, with benefits protection.

This agreement is set to be in effect from April 10, 2025, to April 10, 2028.

The nurses initially secured their union vote in 2022. Following years of negotiations with LUH management and support from the community, the bargaining process began in February 2024.

"We are excited to continue championing the fight for safer staffing in our beloved hospital," stated Carol Anne White, RN in the intensive care unit. "We won protections that ensure CommonSpirit can never take away protections from us the way Centura (former managers of LUH) did."

NNOC will represent over 250 direct-care nurses at Longmont United Hospital.

National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing union of registered nurses in the U.S., boasts over 225,000 members nationwide. Affiliates include the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.

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