Seattle medical center, employees reach contract deal

More than 4,000 union nurses, service employees, and technical staff have reached a contract with Seattle-based Swedish Medical Center that includes pay raises but higher healthcare costs for dependents. Over the contract's three years, registered nurses will receive up to a 15% pay raise, while service and technical staff will receive up to a 10.5% increase. The agreement also includes a no-layoff pledge, and management agreed not to subcontract most bargaining-unit work.