Sharp HealthCare has ratified a new contract that significantly increases wages for its registered nurses in San Diego. The decision follows seven months of negotiations with the United Nurses Associations of California and the Union of Health Care Professionals. The previous contract for the nurses’ bargaining unit expired on September 30, 2025, prompting the union to advocate for enhanced salary increases.
The four-year agreement includes substantial financial benefits for nurses. Notably, there will be a base-pay increase of 5% in the first year and 4% in each of the subsequent three years for all registered nurses within the Sharp bargaining unit. Additionally, the contract provides for 72 hours of sick leave frontloaded for employees, allowing nurses to use other paid time off or unpaid leave if they require additional time away from work. Improved medical benefits for retirees are also part of the agreement.
Susan Stone, PhD, RN, Senior Vice President of Health System Operations and System Chief Nursing Executive at Sharp HealthCare, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “We are pleased to have reached this agreement, which reflects our commitment to our nurses and our community. We believe it will help us continue to attract the very best registered nurses to Sharp,” she stated.
The nurses’ union emphasized the importance of the new contract in retaining talent within the healthcare sector. Andrea Muir, RN, a Sharp Med-Surg/Telemetry nurse and President of the UNAC/UHCP affiliate at Sharp, highlighted the collective effort of the nurses in securing this agreement. “This win is about more than a contract. Sharp registered nurses stood together to ensure that the San Diego community gets the health care they deserve, and has access to skilled, dedicated caregivers in their moments of need,” Muir stated.
The union reached a tentative agreement on January 12, 2026, marking a significant step forward in negotiations aimed at enhancing compensation and benefits for nurses in the region. The new contract is seen as a pivotal development in addressing the needs of healthcare professionals and ensuring high-quality care for the San Diego community.
