Nurses union reaches tentative contract

Monday, July 12, 2004 | 10:49 a.m.

The Service Employees International Union Local 1107 and Universal Health Services Inc. have reached a tentative labor agreement, which canceled plans for 900 nurses to hold a protest strike today.

Union-supportive nurses at King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health's Desert Springs and Valley hospitals had planned to strike for 24 hours today had they not reached an agreement. The nurses are scheduled to vote on the contract today. If they do not approve the contract, they would be required under the National Labor Relations Act to file another 10-day notice before holding a strike.

Hospital officials announced Friday afternoon that a deal was reached with the SEIU through the help of a national mediator. The union nurses said they want higher pay, a higher employee match on their 401(k) plans, more sick time and fully paid health care.

Hospital officials declined to comment on the specifics of the contract or what caused the dissension when both parties began negotiating in late February.

Universal Health's other two Las Vegas Valley hospitals, Summerlin and Spring Valley, are not unionized. The SEIU also represents nurses at Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Inc.'s Sunrise Hospital and Clark County-owned University Medical Center. The union is attempting to unionize the nurses at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals, which are owned by San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West.