After nine months of intense negotiations with 19 HCA-affiliated hospitals, 1199SEIU members voted overwhelmingly to ratify contracts that will include 2.75% raise increases and lifting caps of the wages of some of the company’s most experienced employees.

“It feels great to see that we have taken another step to improve the lives of our brothers and sisters of 1199SEIU by showing our worth to HCA and claiming our share of the profits,” said Paul Griffin, an 1199 delegate at the Medical Center of Trinity in New Port Richey.

Penny Ceasar, a delegate at Westside Regional Medical Center who attended almost every bargaining session during the nine month campaign said, “I was happy to be a part of the bargaining team and get a contract that is good for the workers and the hospital. I think the long journey and hard work was a great victory for our union.”