Deal follows months of tension over staffing violations, results in pay raises and preserved internal oversight
ALBANY — Nurses at Albany Medical Center have approved a new four-year labor contract that delivers significant wage increases and expanded benefits after a protracted labor dispute centered on staffing and workplace conditions.
The agreement, announced Wednesday, applies to more than 1,600 nurses represented by the New York State Nurses Association and marks a turning point following months of negotiations, public actions, and state regulatory scrutiny.
The new contract raises the hospital’s starting hourly nursing wage by 21 percent—from $33 to $40—and ensures that current nurses will receive a minimum raise of 13 percent, with most earning 17 percent. The deal also includes additional increases over the next two years, incentives for mentorship and shift coverage, enhanced tuition reimbursement, and an updated vacation scheduling policy…