USC Verdugo Hills Nurses Secure New Contract with Safety Protections

In a decisive move to enhance patient care and nurse retention, registered nurses at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale, California, have successfully ratified a new four-year labor agreement. The announcement was made by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) following the vote on Tuesday, April 22.

Ruby Carpo, RN, who works in the emergency department, expressed satisfaction with the new contract, stating, “We are so happy with the gains we have made. The hospital put a variety of takeaways on the table, and we beat them all back. We won a contract that will help us recruit and retain the skilled nurses our patients deserve.”

The agreement introduces several key features aimed at improving working conditions and patient safety:

• Technology safeguards to limit the use of artificial intelligence in nursing roles
• Enhanced access to paid time off for nurses impacted by natural disasters
• Significant wage enhancements, including better shift differentials and on-call pay
• No reductions in current contract terms

This contract will be in effect from April 22, 2025, through December 31, 2028.

Noelle Dutton, RN, from the cardiac catheterization lab, highlighted the benefits of the contract, saying, “The language improvements we won in our contract will help us give our patients a better experience. We beat back the hospital’s dangerous floating proposals, and we won new language on workplace violence prevention, which will help nurses feel safer at work.”

CNA represents nearly 300 nurses at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital.

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