Securing a strong first contract with a new corporate owner has finally closed the door on a prolonged period of anxiety and uncertainty for members of an AFT Connecticut-affiliated healthcare union. In our latest quarterly collective bargaining wins report, we showcase how a dedicated negotiating committee turned the corner on frozen pensions, failed acquisitions and corporate bankruptcy. Their resilience in minimizing concessions and moving forward stands as an inspiring example of how strategic compromise can lead to victory.
In early May, leaders of our Federation of Nurses and Health Care Professionals secured a historic tentative agreement with Hartford HealthCare (HHC). The non-profit network assumed control of Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals in January after acquiring them from Prospect Medical Holdings (PMH), a California-based firm controlled by predatory private equity stakeholders.
Exceeding Expectations
“Our goal for this first round of negotiations with HHC was to avoid a prolonged battle,” said local union president Anne Marie Cerra, RN (center photo at left, in collage, above). “Not only were they respectful, but we secured a favorable settlement much more quickly than anyone anticipated. More importantly, our members’ overwhelming support proved that we succeeded in holding the line and making gains where it mattered most.”
Cerra and her dedicated negotiating committee, supported by AFT Connecticut Field Representative Ed Leavy, brought an ambitious agenda to their inaugural bargaining sessions with HHC. The corporate mismanagement that preceded the hospital acquisition had taken a heavy toll on the frontline healthcare professionals and the communities they have served for generations.
“The past decade under private equity ownership was devastating for our staff and our patients,” said Belia LeCoultre, RN (left photo, above), who served on the negotiating committee before recently retiring. “To watch the community institutions we depend on be driven into Chapter 11 bankruptcy by out-of-state executives was demoralizing. Every single one of us was ready to turn the page and fight for the stable, secure future our patients deserve.”
Mitigating Givebacks
The new three-year agreement provides annual salary increases and incorporates the committee’s strategic proposal to front-load the raises, which was aimed at boosting recruitment and retention to address staffing shortfalls. Beyond wage increases, they successfully protected members’ accumulated paid time off (PTO) for up to three years, fulfilling a top priority heading into the talks.
“We are thrilled to move forward with HHC while preserving the strength of our union,” said committee member Ashley Keegan, RN (right photo, above). “Above all, this experience highlighted why strong union leadership is so essential. Guided by transparent communication and backed by a united membership at the bargaining table, our union representation is what ensured we stood firm instead of giving back.”
While compromising and accepting some of HHC’s proposals, the committee successfully fended off the network’s push for its merit pay system, used to limit wage growth in its non-unionized facilities. The contract also establishes a phased implementation of HHC’s corporate policies, protecting members from sudden work-rule changes and ensuring a smoother transition to the new administrative framework.
Members voted overwhelmingly to ratify the agreement in mid-May, putting these hard-won protections and well-earned raises into immediate effect.
Additional Victories this Quarter
The contract victory for Manchester and Rockville nurses is one of several recent labor wins across the state. Since our previous quarterly report in April, four additional local unions have successfully ratified new contracts that protect workers and strengthen community services:
- Simsbury Federation of Education Personnel
- Newtown Custodian and Maintenance Association
- Newtown Federation of Education Personnel
- Norwalk Federation of Teachers
Another recent local contract victory is currently awaiting final employer approval and will be featured in an upcoming collective bargaining report.
