Feb 12, 2025 By Karen Mansfield 2 min read

Courtesy of UPMC Washington

Workers change the signage at Washington Hospital last year to reflect the new affiliation with UPMC.

SEIU workers at UPMC Washington Hospital and UPMC have agreed to a new contract.

According to a press release, the contract includes average raises of 12% over three years, with some workers getting as much as 19% raises over the life of the contract.

The union said the new contract “is major progress from UPMC’s original proposal of a 1% raise per year.”

“Our new contract will help us support ourselves and our families with the increased cost of living. This proves that when health care workers unite and take action – even at a small community hospital – we can create concrete positive change,” said Melissa Duran, the chapter president of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania at Washington Hospital, where she works as an EKG technician.

The workers represented by the union include surgical technicians, care partners, physical therapy assistants, dietary aides, housekeepers, carpenters, licensed maintenance workers, master plumbers, and others.

Duran said Tuesday that the workers are “focused and determined to make sure UPMC keeps their promises and follows through on their commitments to invest a minimum of $300 million in our hospital.”

The union’s 300 hospital employees had voted overwhelmingly on Feb. 4 to authorize a strike, but a date for a strike to begin had not been set, and negotiating sessions had been scheduled.

UPMC did not return a message seeking comment.

The union’s previous contract expired on Dec. 31. The new contract is retroactive to that date.