Samaritan Health has recently reached an agreement with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) to raise wages for its unionized registered nurses (RNs) by 14%.
As a result of this agreement, Samaritan has increased its starting RN wage from $30.41 to $34.67 an hour. The average full-time Samaritan RN earns approximately $82,500 per year.
Samaritan completed a significant market-rate adjustment for its employees in August that impacted many positions and led to adopting a new $15 per hour minimum wage rate for all entry-level positions. Approximately 1,200 staff received a pay increase at that time. RN wages did not increase in August due to Samaritan’s assessment that its wages remained market-competitive at that time. However, RNs did receive a 1% lump-sum payment for their continued dedicated work.
According to a news release issued by Samaritan, local and regional market RN wages have increased dramatically since August. The agreement with NYSNA was ratified by a vote of RNs on Nov. 22 and it will be retroactive to Aug.1, 2021. The change will impact 408 RNs at the medical center.
“As the nationwide shortage of registered nurses continues to impact hospital systems throughout the country, this increase will supplement Samaritan’s continued efforts to recruit and retain nurses,” read a hospital press release. “We strive to hire and retain the highest-quality nurses through strong wage offers, a comprehensive benefits package, and sign-on bonuses.”
