On November 20, 2024, Insight Health Systems and AFSCME Local 2026, representing Trumbull Regional Medical Center (TRMC) nurses, ratified a three–year contract between the nurses and the new hospital administration. With this new contract, both AFSCME employees and the Trumbull community are hopeful for the future of the local hospital. In August, TRMC and Hillside Hospital, previously owned by Steward Health, learned that Steward would be shutting down both hospitals and their emergency rooms, including the only emergency mental health care facility. Pending their possible sale, these closures could have led to the layoffs of hundreds of hospital employees, including 200 TRMC nurses, and significantly reduced the community’s access to vital health care.
AFSCME Local 2026 members and leaders were relieved that TRMC and Hillside would remain open. However, new ownership came with its own set of questions. What would the actual working conditions be like? Would union members retain the gains they had achieved in previous contract negotiations?
AFSCME Local 2026's bargaining team approached negotiations with Insight in good faith. Their belief in the power of their union kept them strong throughout the process. They recognized that their union contract would set an example for the other AFSCME locals at TRMC and Hillside and establish the tone for a professional relationship between AFSCME and Insight. The negotiations were collaborative, with both sides committed to prioritizing the interests of patients, employees, and the community.
AFSCME Local 2026 President Tom Connelly expressed pride in the resulting contract, which guaranteed raises for nurses each year of the agreement. The contract also upheld many hard-fought gains and benefits from previous negotiations, including the bonus system that the previous owners had promised but never honored. Additionally, Insight administration and AFSCME Local 2026 pledged to work together to hire new nurses, while ensuring they have the resources needed to provide the best possible care for their patients. While much remains to be done, including negotiating contracts for AFSCME Locals 2288 and 2804, which represent other hospital employees at TRMC and Hillside, the future looks bright.
