PeaceHealth nurses vote to ratify contract after four months of bargaining

PeaceHealth nurses voted to approve their contract with the Bellingham hospital Friday after about four months of bargaining, stalled negotiations and collective concern over wages and health care benefits.

“Our new contract includes important wins — wins that only came because nurses took action,” the union bargaining team said in a news release about the vote. “From historic raises and the elimination of ghost steps to guaranteed pharmacy access and stronger protections for hospice nurses, the new language in this agreement moves us forward. It’s not perfect. No contract is. That’s why we’re not going to stop pushing for more.”