Unionized workers at the Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College and the hospital administration said Thursday the two sides had reached a tentative agreement on a new contract.
Fawn Guignet, a registered nurse at the hospital and a member of the union’s bargaining team, said they can’t share many details on the tentative agreement yet, as the bargaining team is still reviewing the tentative agreement before the entire union sees it.
But, she said the bargaining team is glad to have made it to this point.
“We've not made any concessions,” Guignet said. “There were some key improvements, which was really important. And at the end of the day, it's a contract that focuses on patient safety, which is one of our key priorities, honestly.”
Guignet said she’s thankful for the community’s support throughout the bargaining process.
“Coming out of this negotiation period, it is abundantly clear that the community is behind us, and we do truly appreciate the way that they have stepped up, both in terms of putting pressure on Mount Nittany and in terms of making sure that we know that they are on our side,” Guignet said.
Union workers have been seeking pay raises for workers in all parts of the hospital. Mount Nittany leaders had pushed back, pointing to concerns about the hospital’s long-term financial health.
Guignet said the hospital’s union workers will vote Monday on whether to accept the new contract.
