2025 SEIU-UHW and Sutter Health Labor Negotiations
Sutter Health is committed to reaching fair and equitable contracts with SEIU-UHW.
Caring for our patients first and people always
Investing in Competitive Pay & Benefits
$9.7 Billion
to be invested in 2026 for our employees, including competitive pay, retirement and comprehensive benefits
Offering Comprehensive Total Rewards
45%
of Sutter’s annual budget is invested in our Total Rewards package to support the overall health and well-being of our 65,000+ team members and their families
Expanding Services to Care
76+
new clinics, urgent care sites and ambulatory surgery centers opening over the next three years to care for more patients
Prioritizing Safety & Security
$45 Million
Investing in Career Growth
$24 Million
invested annually in workforce development to support employee learning, career advancement and leadership development
Supporting Community Health
150+
organizations and programs Sutter is supporting annually to improve community health by expanding access to clinical care, behavioral health and better chronic disease management —including investing $49 million in federally qualified health clinics to serve medically underserved areas
Investing in Competitive Pay and Comprehensive Benefits for Employees
Sutter Health invests heavily in market-competitive wages and benefits programs — our Total Rewards — that encourage preventive care, as well as physical, emotional and financial health.
We want to continue to be the employer of choice in the areas where we operate—a place where the best people want to come and stay because they feel valued and appreciated. Through our Total Rewards package, we provide:
- Market-competitive pay, benefits and retirement plans, along with resources that provide financial protection and support financial milestones in all life phases
- Comprehensive medical, dental and vision benefits and health management programs
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP), mental health resources, paid time off (PTO) and more, including confidential, free short-term counseling and a wide range of resources and referrals
- Resources and programs that support work-life integration and healthy relationships and social connection, like our Sutter Employee Resource Groups (SERGs)
Learn more about Sutter Health’s Total Rewards package and the competitive salaries, comprehensive health benefits, retirement plans, and work-life support.
Investing in Employee Career Growth & Talent Development
At Sutter Health, we are committed to building a workplace where everyone can reach their full potential while changing and saving lives. We know that delivering high-quality care to more than 3.5 million patients each year means we must attract and retain our most important asset: our employees.
That’s why Sutter has invested more than $24 million in growth and development programs for employees — from robust learning and training opportunities to career pathways and leadership programs — all so team members can continuously build skills and realize their personal and professional aspirations.
Learn more about Sutter’s investments in career growth and development.
Investing in Employee and Patient Safety & Security
To serve both our patients and employees, Sutter is investing $45 million in security technology and resources to provide a higher level of security in all care locations. This includes:
- Expanding daily security officer patrols covering seven regional points across Sutter Health, quadrupling the level of service provided to our ambulatory, medical foundation and support services locations
- Installing Evolv, a walk-through weapon screening system, at our large and medium acute care sites to screen for weapons and potential threats
- Empowering Sutter’s frontline healthcare teams via workplace violence prevention training and other programs — including trainings on proactive safety measures, de-escalation tactics, stress communication skills, and tailored programs for both inpatient and ambulatory settings — to stay safe, respond effectively and foster a culture of respect and resilience
- Introduced K9 teams to our elevated risk acute care sites to provide additional threat detection and as an added layer of security
Our large, systemwide security team — now more than 1,000 members strong and growing — is committed to providing a safe environment across all Sutter locations. Learn more about Sutter’s investments in safety and security for our employees and patients.
Negotiations Fast Facts
On average, our full-time SEIU-UHW employees earn more than $75K a year
SEIU-UHW-represented Sutter employees have seen up to 23% in total pay increases over the past 4 years — and their 2024 increase was about 3% higher than the state average for California
Sutter Health’s pension is 100% funded — and employer pension contributions range from 5% to 12% of eligible pay in the cash balance design and based on years of service for 95% of SEIU-UHW represented employees
In 2024, the average turnover rate nationally for hospital staff was 18.3% — a decrease from 2023, according to NSI’s 2025 National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report. Furthermore, according to NSI’s report, hospital turnover for those operating in the 90th percentile, as Sutter does, is at an average of 14.4%. Importantly, all Sutter Health facilities employing SEIU-UHW-represented workers have turnover rates well below — and in many cases half — the national average.
Myth vs. Fact
Myth
Fact
The issue of a single master contract is not on the table. Sutter declined because separate contracts enable us to tailor staffing and compensation to the unique needs of each hospital and community. Additionally, the union was unable to demonstrate any benefits to a master contract beyond those in their leadership’s own self-interest.
Myth
Fact
Sutter is committed to building a sustainable, long-term wage structure that balances fiscal responsibility with our ongoing investment in our people.
With the offer currently on the table, Sutter Health has proposed a 6% average increase per year for most employees, which includes a 4% across-the-board (ATB) increase alongside an average step increase of 2% each year. In total, this is an average increase of 18% over the next three years of the contract term. Employees who are already at the top step and not eligible for step increases will receive the 4% ATB increase yearly, resulting in a 12% increase over the contract term.
Furthermore, Sutter has proposed an additional 1-2% increase for certain positions, including EVS, Food and Nutrition, Surgical Techs, and Imaging, benefiting about one-quarter of employees.
Myth
Fact
Sutter is committed to providing high-value, comprehensive health coverage for our employees and their families with no or low premiums — while ensuring benefits stay sustainable for the long term.
Sutter’s current proposal ensures all benefit-eligible employees will continue to have a no-premium health plan option, with SEIU-UHW-represented employees receiving the same health benefits as management-represented staff.
In the event a change is made during the life of the contract, Sutter’s proposal will guarantee:
- Employees earning under $100K annually (Base Rate of Pay X FTE) would continue to pay $0 premium for the EPO Plus Plan and would be offered an additional no-premium plan option.
- Employees earning more than $100K annually would pay no more than 5% of the premium for the EPO Plus Plan as well as have the choice of a no-premium plan option. For example, this cost translates to $20.44 per pay period for employee only coverage and $56.61 per pay period for employee plus family coverage.
- An additional no-premium health plan option will also be available to all employees.
If any change were made and employees earning more than $100K were required to contribute a share of the premium, it would impact just 1 in 10 SEIU-UHW-represented employees — the other 90% will continue to have fully paid, no-cost premiums.
Learn more about Sutter’s proposal for no-premium health plan options for all employees here.
Myth
Fact
Sutter’s focus is reaching a fair agreement for our employees, and we are committed to good-faith negotiations and collaboration at the bargaining table.
Over the past bargaining sessions dating back to July, we have exchanged more than 50 proposals, showing consistent progress and commitment to reaching a fair agreement.
Myth
SEIU-UHW-represented facilities at Sutter Health are understaffed
Fact
Myth
Understaffing at Sutter Health leads to burnout among employees
Fact
We recognize that burnout is a real issue — one that impacts the entire healthcare industry, especially as we continue to recover from the public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sutter provides free, confidential counseling with licensed providers 24/7 through our employee assistance program, as well as mental and behavioral health benefits through our health plan and access to a wide variety of mental health support tools and resources.
We offer generous PTO and other leave benefits. Whether our employees are managing family life, relaxing, or recharging, we prioritize time off for what matters most to them and their families.
Myth
Sutter provides low pay for SEIU-UHW-represented workers
Fact
Sutter is proud to offer competitive pay and a generous and robust Total Rewards package for our employees.
On average, our full-time SEIU-UHW employees earn more than $75K a year. Additionally, SEIU-UHW-represented Sutter employees in Administrative and Service roles earn about 29% more on average than similar roles in other industries in California, while our Professional and Technical employees earn about 8% more on average than their peers in other industries in California.
Learn more here about wages, benefits and our Total Rewards package here.
Myth
Sutter facilities have a high turnover rate, leading to critical short-staffing issues
Fact
Myth
Sutter Health has closed departments in facilities in lower-income areas, reducing access to health care for rural communities
Fact
As a not-for-profit health system, Sutter Health is committed to helping close health care gaps—including in rural communities. Sutter’s investments in Los Banos, Del Norte and Lake counties are the latest examples of the system’s efforts to provide care that is aligned with local community health needs that can also have a ripple effect on the overall health and well-being of those throughout California.
In 2025, Sutter and Memorial Hospital Los Banos broke ground on a new rural health care clinic, which will feature 10 additional clinicians who will offer primary and specialty care, including mental health services. This new clinic is expected to open in early 2026.
This year, Sutter Coast Hospital also broke ground on its new Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing (EmPATH) unit in Del Norte, with additional construction set to begin in 2026 to expand access to primary care, urgent care and rehabilitation services — an investment of $17.5 million.
Additionally, Sutter Health is investing $5.5 million to build a new 6,900 sq. ft. care center in Lake County’s Hidden Valley Lake — long known as a health care desert. When it opens in June 2026, the care center will offer urgent care, primary care, on-site lab and X-ray services, and rotating specialty care in cardiology, OB/Gyn and orthopedics.
Learn more about our strategic community investments to help expand rural health care access.
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Nationally recognized for employee well-being and positive workplace culture
Sutter Health is proud to be recognized by Forbes as one of California’s Best Places to Work, by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces, and by Becker’s Hospital Review as a Top Place to Work in Healthcare, for our commitment to employee well-being, paths to professional advancement and fostering a positive, engaging workplace culture, among other criteria. At Sutter Health, we listen to our people — and act on what we hear. In 2024, a record 88% of employees took part in our Experience of Work survey. 85% said they’d recommend Sutter as a great place to work. That puts us well ahead of the national healthcare average and reflects the pride our people feel in being part of Sutter.
Media Contact
Sutter Health’s media relations team is available to assist credentialed journalists supporting print, broadcast and online content related to Sutter Health and SEIU-UHW labor negotiations.
For questions, please call the media relations hotline at 1-800-428-7377.