Silvercrest Nursing Home RNs Ratify First Contract

After almost two years of working without a contract, the Registered Nurses at Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Jamaica, Queens, overwhelmingly ratified a first contract on January 28.

The 37 nurses won a three percent increase to their base salary retroactive to January 1, 2009, followed by three percent increases for each year beginning January 2010- 2012. The increases will go to 3.5 percent annually for the years 2013 and 2014,.

The nursing home, which is owned by New York Hospital Queens, will continue to provide its own employee health benefits coverage but agreed not to reduce the benefits or increase the costs during the term of the agreement which ends on June 30, 2014. The employer will also continue to contribute to the nurses 403(b) Pension Plan.

As part of the economic package, the nurses will get shift, education, experience and certification differential pay as well as a uniform allowance of $400 a year. After five years of service, they will be entitled to five weeks of vacation.

Paid three-day leave will be given to attend professional nursing conferences plus $600 to refund expenses. In addition, the employer agreed to pay tuition costs for 18 college credits per year for health-related courses. The agreement calls for the establishment of a Professional Practice Committee composed of managers and staff nurses that will meet monthly to discuss issues for improving quality patient care.