John George, Philadelphia Business Journal, July 13, 2011

The 700 registered nurses at Crozer-Chester Medical Center approved a new three-year agreement Tuesday by a vote of 343-to-90.

The nurses at the Upland, Pennsylvania, hospital are represented by Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals.

The deal has no across-the-board wage increase this year, then a 2 percent increase in 2012 and a 2.5 increase in 2013 - along with experience-based increases for all three years. On average, according to PASNAP, nurses will receive about 10.5 percent in overall wage increases over the three-year contract.

The nurses agreed to increase the percentage they pay for health insurance from 12 percent to 15 percent by 2014.

Crozer-Keystone Health System, the hospital’s parent company, agreed to maintain a weekend pay programs and to form a “staffing and professional development committee,” where up to 33 staff nurses representing every unit and department in the hospital will be paid eight hours per month to review staffing concerns brought to them by their co-workers. The elected committee will make specific proposals to hospital administration to improve staffing conditions. The health system has agreed to respond in writing to each proposal or suggestion made by the new committee.