Stanford and Packard nurses to end strike after reaching tentative agreement

STANFORD, Calif. — The union representing about 5,000 nurses at Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital reached a tentative agreement on Friday for a new contract, a move that would end a strike that began Monday.

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The Nursing Achievement Recognition Committee, which represents striking nurses, said the new contract, if approved by members, would give members a 7% pay rise this year. Negotiations also resulted in a 5% raise effective early next April, another increase effective April 2024, and significant increases to nurses’ retirement benefits.

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Stanford Health Care tweeted a statement about the agreement saying in part: “Throughout the negotiations, the parties have continued to work in good faith and have now achieved our common goal of agreeing to contractual terms which we can be proud.”

Union members still have to vote over the weekend on whether to approve the deal.

Hospitals have also guaranteed an additional week of pre-scheduled vacation for all nurses from 2024.

About 5,000 nurses at Stanford Health Care and Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital went on strike Monday, with workers calling on Stanford management to improve working conditions and address staffing shortages.

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The union said executives at Stanford Health Care and Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital failed to address low staff retention and high turnover rates and tried to pull health benefits from nurses on strike.

About 93% of nurses represented by CRONA voted to authorize the strike earlier this month after their contract with Stanford expired on March 31. The strike is CRONA’s first in more than two decades, according to the union.