UVM Medical Center says nurses union has approved possible strike

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – We have an update on contract negotiations between unionized nurses and the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Hospital officials say union members voted to strike if the two sides cannot agree on a new contract. Their current contract expires on July 9.

WCAX News has called and emailed representatives of the nurses union, but no response was received at the time of publication of this article.

However, the hospital says the union is proposing a 40% raise over three years, which includes an immediate 5% increase when the contract is signed and another 10% at the beginning of each fiscal year in October. Hospital officials say the proposal is actually 46% because they say most nurses receive a standard pay increase of 2% per year.

The hospital is proposing a 17% raise over the life of the contract. Officials say the hospital’s largest group of nurses has a salary range of $35.75 to $56.37 per hour in base pay, before performance and differential pay, and that the average base pay for that group is $44.50 per hour.

There are four more negotiating sessions, two of which are scheduled for this week.

The union must notify the hospital of its strike intentions ten days in advance.

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