Registered nurses at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year contract last night. The nurses, represented by California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU), won an agreement that prioritizes key issues, including expanding access to educational benefits, strengthening recruitment and long-term retention of RNs.

“We now have a contract that will make it easier to recruit and retain experienced nurses. This is essential to patient safety,” said Liz Wade, RN in the labor and delivery unit and member of the Negotiating Team. “Expanded education for nurses will ensure that we stay current with new developments.”

Highlights of the contract include:

• Investment in education: Expanded tuition eligibility and reimbursement programs that include per diem RNs for the first time and increased paid education time.
• Safe staffing for safe patient care, including language to address break relief needs and staffing concerns for specific departments.
• Maintaining existing equity and inclusion provisions, including agreement to fight racial injustice and health care disparities within the community and a commitment to a workplace free from racism and unlawful discrimination
• Economic gains and health benefit protections to help retain and recruit experienced nurses, including increases to all the differentials for weekends, nights, evenings, preceptor pay, and more; 100 percent match contributions for 401(k) plans, and no takeaways to contractually negotiated benefits.

The new pact covers the period Jan. 23, 2026 to Jan. 22,2029.

CNA represents 640 nurses at Providence Saint John’s Health Center.

California Nurses Association/National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the nation with more than 100,000 members in more than 200 facilities throughout California and more than 225,000 RNs nationwide.