Local 9413 Hospital Workers in Reno Nearly Unanimous in First Contract Vote

Technical workers at St. Mary's Hospital in Reno, Nev., will get a 9.5 percent raise over the next two years under a first contract that the new members of CWA Local 9413 ratified overwhelmingly Tuesday night.

The 170-member unit cast a 98 percent "yes" vote on the contract, which includes a $1,000 bonus for workers with special certification, holds the line on health care and separates sick leave from personal time. Previously, employees had to use personal days when they were sick.

Local 9413 Executive Vice President Liz Sorenson said she began organizing the, pharmacy techs, radiology techs, respiratory therapists and other technical employees about a year ago, shortly after organizing 570 service workers at the hospital. The technical workers voted for representation in February and bargaining on the two-year contract began this spring.

Sorenson credited the bargaining team for "amazing" work. Members were technical workers Harley Tate and Jerri Giminez, chief negotiator Valerie Reyna from District 9 and Chris Kennedy of CWA's Public, Health Care and Education sector.