UC nurses ratify new four-year contract

By Michelle Morris

National Nurse magazine - Oct | Nov | Dec 2025 Issue

University of California (UC) registered nurses ratified a new four-year contract on Nov. 22. California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU) represents 25,000 RNs at 19 UC medical centers and facilities in Northern and Southern California. The contract includes protections to improve patient safety and nurse retention and no takeaways. 

“UC nurses were unified in our demands for a contract that reversed and halted UC management’s growing practice of short-staffing facilities, cutting back on resources, and forcing RNs to do more with less support,” said Marlene Tucay, RN at UC Irvine and member of the bargaining team. “As a result of the commitment of all CNA members, we won a contract that will improve outcomes for nurses and our patients.”

Highlights of the contract include significant restrictions on UC floating RNs between facilities and a guarantee that patient safety and nurses’ professional judgment guide all floating decisions; disaster preparedness, including UC maintaining and sharing written plans for disaster response and providing trainings for all nurses; technology protections, including a guarantee that nurses will play a central role in selecting, designing, and validating new technology, including A.I. systems.

The new agreement’s retention measures include improvements to meal and rest breaks and workplace violence prevention policies, as well as an 18.5 percent minimum increase in wages over the life of contract and caps on health care increases.

“Our work continues to fight for the highest levels of patient care. That includes holding UC accountable to the standards agreed to in our new contract,” said Tucay. “It is our union power that will help ensure the UC stays a public good, rather than yet another for-profit health care corporation.” 

The new contract covers the period Nov. 22, 2025 to Jan. 2, 2030.