1199SEIU Physician Assistants Make Significant Gains

Physician Assistants at Lutheran Medical Center pleased after wage reopener

Physician Assistants at Lutheran Medical Center recently won a big victory as they were able to reopen their contract. As a result of their negotiations, the starting salary of Physician Assistants at the facility is now over $75,000 per year. It goes up with experience so that a Physician Assistant with more than ten years of experience earns over $101,500. The Lutheran Physician Assistants were also able to negotiate an overnight shift differential of $1200 per quarter for every ten shifts worked, up to a maximum of 30 shifts, for an additional total shift compensation of $3600 per quarter, or at a maximum, an additional $14,400 per year. The Lutheran PAs were only able to accomplish these incredible wage adjustments based on their unity and the hospital’s inability to fill both vacancies and the over-night shifts.

Newly organized PA’s at Wyckoff Heights Hospital also made gains their first contract. As of June 2008, entry level physician assistants will earn $75,000 per year with the ability to receive additional compensation on average of each 3-5 years of experience through 20-plus years; of service.

New Physician Assistant hires in both hospitals will also receive compensation based on prior Physician Assistant experience in other healthcare institutions.

Physician Assistants in other unionized hospitals are now starting; to organize themselves to replicate the accomplishments of their colleagues at Lutheran and Wyckoff Heights. Physician Assistants and other allied medical professionals in other nearby hospitals have shown interest in joining 1199SEIU.

In addition to trying to raise industry wage standards consistently across the Union, a committee of Physician Assistants is working on a contract survey to bring some continuity and consistency across the profession on a number of other workplace issues like shift differentials and additional experience steps; overtime; and access to paid CME days and supplemental funding. If you are interested in working on the Physician Assistant Contract Survey Committee or in becoming a member of the Physician Assistant Council, please contact Cynthia Wolff, 1199 SEIU Professional & Technical Specialist at (212) 261-2368 or at cynthiaw@1199.org.