Members of UNAP Local 5086 Ratify Contract Agreement with Brattleboro Retreat

In a vote held on Thursday, October 17, members of the United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) Local 5086 ratified a new two-year contract with the Brattleboro Retreat. UNAP represents 550 nurses, mental health workers, and other staff at the Retreat.
The new agreement calls for structured wage increases and incentives, an expansion of health insurance options, and additional processes focused on safety management. Union and management have also agreed to establish a collaborative workgroup designed to continuously monitor and respond to any safety issues that may arise.
Members of UNAP and Retreat management have been in contract talks since early September. Management negotiators included Gerri Cote, vice president of Operations; Jeffrey Corrigan, vice president of Human Resources, and Linda Nagy, vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing officer. UNAP negotiators included Union Presidents Bonnie Chase, MA, SAC, and Thomas Flood, MHW, along with Michael Barry, MHW, Mary Bruck, LPN, Edward Dowd, RN, and Beth Kiendl, RN.
We are as pleased with the conduct of the negotiations as we are with the content of the new agreement," said Chase. "The contract represents important gains in economic security and patient and staff safety. The negotiation was notable for an atmosphere of mutual respect."
The Retreat currently has a workforce of 792, which is nearly double the amount it employed in 2007. During that time the hospital has added several unique specialty programs and increased its inpatient bed capacity.
"We very much appreciate the collaborative spirit and professionalism exhibited by every member of the negotiating teams," said Robert E. Simpson, president and chief executive officer. "I believe our new agreement will put us on a strong, ongoing path of partnership that underscores the Brattleboro Retreat as an employer of choice in the region and a national leader in the field of psychiatric and addiction medicine."
The Brattleboro Retreat, founded in 1834, is a not-for-profit, regional specialty psychiatric hospital and addictions treatment center, providing a full range of diagnostic and rehabilitation services for individuals of all ages and their families. Nationally recognized for its premier treatment in behavioral healthcare, the Brattleboro Retreat offers a high quality, individualized, comprehensive continuum of care including inpatient, partial hospitalization, residential and outpatient treatment.