Kadlec, nurses still in contract talks

Kadlec Regional Medical Center and its nurses are still locked in contract talks despite meeting several times in recent months.

Signs proclaiming “We Support Kadlec RNs” have shown up in yards around Richland and elsewhere in the Tri-Cities.

Information about when the nurses contract expires was not released.

Kadlec officials declined to go into specifics on their talks with local representatives with the Washington State Nurses Association, saying they want to “respect the conversations and keep the discussions at the table.”

“I understand progress has been made, but there are still some issues to resolve,” said Jim Hall, the hospital’s spokesman.

Calls to nurses union leaders were not immediately returned.

However, local union leaders indicated in online postings that the primary ongoing issues include benefits, specifically paid time off and a bank of days for extended illness; wage increases and sufficient staffing levels so nurses can take their meal and rest breaks.

Kadlec became part of Providence Health & Services, a large Catholic health network in five states, in mid-2014.

Kadlec remains a separate, non-religious entity within the health system, albeit affilitated with Providence’s Western HealthConnect.

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Kadlec, nurses still in contract talks."