Bargaining for Higher Pay
It takes competitive salaries to attract and retain the best talent and make a hospital a successful provider of quality patient care. By working together through a union, nurses can negotiate a pay scale that consistently and adequately rewards skill and expertise as well as experience and length of service. Here’s how.
1. Above-market salaries. Unionized nurses consistently negotiate above-market pay scales. In fact, according to the Bureau of National Affairs, nurses who are union members earn an average 13 percent more than nurses who aren’t. Examples
2. Raises you can count on. One of the advantages to a union contract is that raises are guaranteed in writing. Union-negotiated raises are not tied to arbitrary and subjective evaluations. Many union contracts call for both annual cost-of-living raises and merit pay increases, and guarantee that even nurses who are at the top of the scale receive a raise every year. Examples
3. A pay scale that rewards experience and longevity. Union-negotiated pay scales eliminate arbitrary disparities and inequities; everyone is covered by the same set of pay steps and criteria for advancement. Most union contracts call for step increases and/or longevity bonuses in addition to regular annual raises to ensure that nurses are fairly compensated for experience and length of service. Examples
4. More compensation for around-the-clock care. On their own, hospital administrators rarely increase the differentials or premiums paid for evening or weekend work or pay for stand-by status. With a union, nurses negotiate improvements in shift differentials, on-call pay, and other compensation for “around the clock” care. Examples
5. Higher premium pay for specialties and expertise. By forming unions, nurses are able to negotiate greater rewards for education and expertise. Many union contracts include extra pay differentials and premiums for specialties, certifications, and continuing education. Examples
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