It took more than a year of negotiating by pharmacists at MarinHealth Medical Center and caregivers who work for NaphCare at the Santa Cruz County Jail, but they are thrilled with their first contracts as NUHW members.
The 21 pharmacists secured an eye-popping $24.20 hourly pay increase, a huge victory after first having to win a National Labor Board ruling that they qualified to become union members.
The contract also improves benefits and provides workplace protections for pharmacists, who will now be added to the existing NUHW contract for pharmacy technicians at the 327-bed public district hospital.
“Everybody is very happy with the outcome,” said Pharmacist Scott Grigsby. “It was a much longer and more arduous fight than I think any of us expected, but it was absolutely worth the effort.”
NaphCare
At Santa Cruz Jail, the 60 nurses and mental health providers employed by NaphCare will get 13 percent raises over the next three years. Negotiations stalled after the county dropped Wellpath, in favor of NaphCare in November of 2024, but workers never lost their resolve.
In addition to the guaranteed wage increases, they also gained:
- Additional pay for weekend and other shifts.
- Extra pay for nurses who provide orientation training to colleagues.
- Assurances that medical insurance premiums won’t increase for the term of the contract.
- A grievance procedure allowing them to contest unjust discipline.
“Nearly three years and a company change later, we have secured a contract for us, and for future staff for years to come,” said Talley Kennedy, a discharge planner for NaphCare.
