Allegheny General Nurses Ratify Deal Worth $35 Million in Wage Increases

Nurses at Allegheny General Hospital approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement on Monday, Oct. 26. The deal includes $35 million in wage investments and establishes new staffing standards. Approximately 1,500 nurses voted to ratify the contract.

The agreement runs through Oct. 13, 2029. According to the union, nurses will see average total raises of nearly 16% over the contract life. Staff with more than five years of licensing will receive hourly wage increases of at least $8. The terms also preserve paid time off and pension benefits while adding an option for employer-paid coinsurance.

The new terms address operational challenges by requiring staffing levels that match patient populations. The contract limits forced rotations between day and night shifts. It also marks the first agreement at Allegheny General to address the use of artificial intelligence in nursing workflows.

Negotiations concluded after the previous contract expired earlier this month. On Oct. 15, the workforce voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike. Nurses held an informational picket before finalizing the deal.

Annale Yobbi, a nurse with 43 years of experience, attributed the success to advocacy efforts across the region. “What we achieved in this contract and on parental leave would not have been possible without the tireless advocacy of nurses both at AGH and on the other side of the river, at West Penn and Magee,” she said. The nurses also supported the passage of 12 weeks of paid parental leave for Allegheny County.

AHN spokesperson Bill Toland stated the agreement reflects the organization's commitment to competitive compensation. “We are pleased to have reached a new contract with our represented nurses at AHN Allegheny General Hospital. The agreement is reflective of our commitment to providing competitive wages and benefits for all employees at AHN,” he said.

Nurses plan to celebrate the ratification on Wednesday alongside U.S. Rep. Summer Lee. They will also announce efforts to support nearly 1,000 nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital who are seeking their first union contract. Lee said, “AGH nurses won this contract because they organized and refused to back down.”