Lynn hospital workers ratify contract
Service workers who organized last year at Union Hospital, a 147-bed hospital in Lynn that is part of North Shore Medical Center, have ratified their first labor contract as part of Local 1199 of the Service Employees International Union. The pact gives SEIU its largest foothold at Partners HealthCare System, the state’s largest health care provider.
The two-year contract — covering 438 housekeepers, nursing assistants, mental health workers, anesthesia technicians, medical interpreters, cooks, food service workers, and other employees — includes wage increases, a ratification bonus, and a training program designed to help workers advance their careers.
All workers will receive a minimum 3 percent wage boost effective Oct. 3, while the average hourly wage increase over the life of the contract will be 6.8 percent, according to SEIU Local 1199, the biggest health care union in Massachusetts.
