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CHICAGO - After a four-day strike, UI Health nurses and management reached a tentative agreement late Saturday night.
The agreement, which is subject to ratification by union members, includes improvements to hospital safety protocols, significant wage increases, and increased nurse input in staffing decisions, according to the nurses union.
The contract also features a joint agreement to request increased parental leave for all UI Health workers.
"Our members have been deeply involved in these negotiations, from the drafting of language to
watching our update calls week after week," veteran nurse Liz Flores said. "They knew what this
staff and its patient community deserves and they were ready to fight for it."
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Illinois nurses strike at UI Hospital, citing safety and pay concerns
Nurses with the Illinois Nurses Association began their strike at the University of Illinois Hospital early Wednesday morning, gathering in large numbers to march around the facility.
The 1,700 UI Health nurses who participated in the strike will vote on the tentative agreement on Tuesday. The nurses called off the strike and returned to work Sunday morning.
The UI Health bargaining team were "thrilled" with the deal and believe that it will lead to a better staffed and safer hospital, according to the Illinois Nurses Association.