UVM Medical Center, VFNHP Reach New Contract
Contract includes wages through September 30, 2026
Burlington, Vt. – The Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals’ technical members have voted to ratify a new three-year contract for University of Vermont Medical Center technical professional employees. The contract, running from March 1, 2023 to April 30, 2026, includes wage increases in line with the UVM Health Network’s compensation philosophy, both immediate and across the life of the three-year contract, as well as other amendments to the previous technical contract which expired on March 1.
“Investing in our people is the right thing to do. They are UVM Medical Center’s greatest asset and the foundation of our mission to care for our region,” said Stephen Leffler, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer of the UVM Medical Center. “We are pleased to get this contract signed and will continue working together to provide the highest quality care to our patients and community.”
According to the agreement, most members of the bargaining unit are receiving immediate wage increases ranging from 6.5 percent to 25.6 percent. The new contract also includes yearly wage increases of 6 percent in 2024, five percent in 2025 and five percent in 2026. The range of initial wage increases reflects varied changes in market rates for each position.
The ratified agreement ends negotiations between the UVM Medical Center and the union, which had been ongoing since December 2022. In later sessions, a mediator provided by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service assisted in moving the talks forward.
The agreement affects approximately 600 technical employees representing more than 80 roles including —technologists, EMTs and paramedics, medical coders, sonographers and other clinical and diagnostic services staff — at the Medical Center.
The contract goes into effect as UVM Health Network, as well as hospitals in Vermont, northern New York and across the country, work to address significant financial challenges amid inflationary pressures, workforce shortages and the high cost of temporary labor, revenue shortfalls and patient access challenges.