DUNKIRK, N.Y. — After three weeks of negotiations employees at the Brooks TLC Hospital System in the Southern Tier have a new contract.
More than 150 hospital workers represented by the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East are now earning competitive wages with better benefits.
This new contract includes some union workers getting an 18% wage increase preceptor pay pension increases and more.
"Employees are going from job to job because they are looking for whatever is going to be best for their family and that's understandable. So this is probably the first time or the first time I can say in all the times I've been bargaining the contract there, that they made competitive wages for employee's to go there and to stay there," said Cheryl Marino, administrative organizer 1199SEIU.
Marino said this was one of the best ratification votes with an overwhelming number of voting yes.
This new contract runs through April 30, 2026.