Amador County – Sutter Amador Hospital on Friday announced that its union employees have ratified a new 3-year contract. The action ends nearly 2 years in which the employees worked without a contract. Jody Boetzer (Bates-er), Sutter Amador Hospital public relations specialist announced the “contract ratification vote for union-represented employees” in a news release Friday. Boetzer said Sutter Amador Hospital Employees voted last Wednesday night to ratify the new 3-year contract. Sutter Amador Hospital employees are represented by Service Employees International Union, in a branch of the SEIU under the United Healthcare Workers West. Boetzer said the “represented employees ratified the contract, with all 42 who voted in favor” of the new contract. She said the “union represents 137 out of 429 employees” at Sutter Amador Hospital. About 20 of the employees and family members held picket signs on Highway 88 at Mission Boulevard November 6th. Theresa Talbert, a critical care registered nurse at the hospital, said the United Healthcare Workers West employees are considered “non-professional” by their parent union, SEIU. Talbert said they were not on strike and were not “picketing” but were instead holding an educational demonstration, to draw attention to union contract negotiations under way later that day. She said UHWW employees in Jackson had not had a contract in almost 2 years. UHW includes registered nurses or workers from physical therapy, medical surgery, critical care and pharmacy. Negotiators for the SAH employees were Talbert, RN Debbie Cheney, pharmacist Todd Berg and union representative Beth Haddorf. Negotiations began in June, and after 7 meetings in November, workers were seeking a 4 percent raise, while Sutter Amador Hospital was offering a 1.25 percent increase, a 2.25 percent increase for RNs, and a 20-cent raise for physical therapists. Boetzer said Friday that “all represented employees will receive benefit enhancements and wage increases. Registered nurses and clinical lab scientists will receive a minimum of a 10 percent across-the-board wage increase over 3 years.” She said RNs will receive an immediate 4 percent raise and another 3 percent in 12 months. Sutter Amador Hospital Chief Executive Officer Anne Platt said the hospital is “proud to have outstanding employees who provide exceptional patient care.” She said: “Our employees can now receive their well-deserved wage increases in these challenging economic times.” Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.