The agreement includes a wage increase ranging from 15%-39% over 4 years

On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, 1199SEIU members at Boston Medical Center (BMC) voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new contract.  The four-year agreement arrives at the end of negotiations that spanned nearly six months, included support from elected officials, and an October rally in response to BMC’s proposals that workers felt didn’t meet the standards to address recruitment and retention. 

"I'm excited about the increased market adjustment that we managed to fight for, as well as the retroactive pay we'll receive. I've worked at BMC for 17 years, and my coworkers and I have had to watch techs at other hospitals be paid at a rate that BMC refused to match. In this contract, we pushed management to pay us closer to what our skills are worth,” said Helena Hawko, a surgical technician at BMC. 

Under the terms of the agreement, workers will see wage increases ranging from 15%-39% over four years based on market adjustments, experience, and annual raises. In addition to higher wages, workers have maintained access to free and low-cost educational opportunities, created a public health emergency committee, and pathway to paid training-mentorship for incumbent staff.  

“This hard-fought agreement is a victory for the entire care team at BMC, especially those who are often overlooked yet whose role is vital to the future of care in Boston,” said Tim Foley, executive vice president of 1199SEIU. “To keep high quality care accessible and address the staffing crisis impacting communities all across the Commonwealth, we need to ensure that healthcare workers can afford to stay and thrive in the jobs and community they love.” 

The bargaining unit of around 1,600 workers includes those who work in social work, patient access, laboratory, ambulatory, radiology, and other departments. 

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About 1199SEIU 

Representing nearly 80,000 healthcare workers throughout Massachusetts and over 450,000 workers across the East Coast, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high-quality healthcare for all. 1199SEIU is part of the 2.1 million member Service Employees International Union.