USC Arcadia Nurses and Healthcare Workers Ratify Contracts for Safety

Nurses and Health Care Workers at USC Arcadia Hospital Secure New Contracts

Registered nurses and health care workers at USC Arcadia Hospital in Arcadia, California, have successfully ratified new three-year contracts. The agreements, voted on November 5 and 6, aim to enhance patient safety and encourage the retention of nursing staff and health care employees. This development was announced by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) and the Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU). CNA/NNU is recognized as the largest and most rapidly expanding union of registered nurses in the United States.

"Caring for our patients is at the heart of what we do," stated Shannon Vandelac, a registered nurse in the critical care unit. "This contract victory is a huge step in continuing to provide excellent patient care that our community deserves."

Nurse Contract Highlights

• Safe staffing improvements: Introduction of more resource nurses and empowering bedside nurses to contribute to the implementation of critical resources on their units.
• Workplace violence prevention: Enhanced protections for bedside nurses.
• Investment in education: New certification pay language to support nurses in advancing their skills and knowledge.
• Economic gains: An average wage increase of 15.84% over the contract duration, with five additional steps added to the wage grid.
• No contract takeaways: Assurance that no benefits will be rescinded.

The new nurse contract will be in effect from November 5, 2026, to June 30, 2029.

"We are very proud to serve the community of Arcadia," expressed Gi Park, a registered nurse in the cardiac telemetry unit.

Health Care Workers' Contract Highlights

In addition to the nurses, members of the Caregivers and Healthcare Employees Union (CHEU) also approved their contract on November 6. CHEU, an affiliate of CNA, represents over 740 health care workers at USC Arcadia, including respiratory therapists, nursing aides, and laboratory workers.

• Workplace violence prevention: Broader protections for health care workers.
• Standby rate increase: The standby rate will rise to $23.00, aligning with the health care minimum wage.
• Non-discrimination language: Stronger measures against discrimination, retaliation, and harassment, with remedies provided for affected members.
• Economic gains: Average wage increases of 17.62% for technical bargaining unit employees and 21.15% for non-professional bargaining unit employees, along with two additional steps on the wage grid.

"We work hard for our patients because we love our patients," said Maggie Cervantes, a nursing assistant in the telemetry unit. "This is a contract fight that I am proud to have been a part of because we focused on the recruitment and retention of health care workers."

CNA represents over 780 nurses at USC Arcadia Hospital, while CHEU represents 740 ancillary health care workers at the same facility.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation, boasting more than 100,000 members across over 200 facilities in California and over 225,000 registered nurses nationwide.