Mercy Hospital staff getting 18% raises

More than 500 caregivers at Mercy Hospital will receive an 18% raise under a new three-year contract, according to their union, 1199SEIU.

Workers at the Rockville Centre hospital approved the contract last week, which went into effect immediately and will provide raises beyond the 18% bump for job titles with the lowest compensation rates, the union said. The agreement covers staff on dietary, transport, housekeeping and pharmacy teams. 

"The pay increases we fought for and won are substantial," said Dawn Naughton, who has worked as a dietary aide at Mercy Hospital for 15 years. "A lot of us have been working overtime or two jobs to survive. I did the calculations, and they are going to make a big difference in my life."

Beginning Feb. 1, 2024, workers will get a 7% hike to their base pay rate, with a 6% increase scheduled for Feb. 1, 2025, and a 5% raise slated for Feb. 1, 2026, the union said. Several workers, including personal care assistants, medical assistants, behavioral health associates and emergency department techs, will receive additional adjustments to their base pay in July 2024 so they reach the minimum hourly rates written into the contract, 1199SEIU said.

Under the agreement, a dietary aide earning $21.39 an hour will hit a base hourly wage of $26.03 in February 2026, and an emergency room tech receiving $23.75 an hour will get a base hourly wage of $27.68 in February 2026, the union said.

Hospitals across the state are dealing with a shortage of workers in several roles, which along with inflation, is pushing up wages across the industry, said Wendy Darwell, president and CEO of the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State. 

"There are more nurses than any other positions in a hospital, so that's where the workforce shortage is the most acute, where it gets the most attention, but we have been feeling the workforce shortage in a lot of other positions," she said.

"Increasingly, patients are treated by not just doctors and nurses, but nurse aides, therapists, pharmacists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners … That's one of the ways that hospitals and other care institutions have been dealing with the workforce shortage," Darwell said. "So making sure that you've got the whole team of caregivers compensated well and ready to take care of patients is really important."

Catholic Health said the agreement brings pay at Mercy Hospital closer to rates paid in other parts of the health system. Catholic Health operates six hospitals, a network of physician practices and three nursing homes. 

"We remain committed to offering all of our employees competitive salaries, affordable benefits and the best working conditions possible," Catholic Health said in a statement.

By Sarina Trangle

sarina.trangle@newsday.comSarinaTrangle

Sarina Trangle covers affordability and cost of living issues and other business topics. She previously worked as an editor and reporter at amNewYork.