Sharp Nurses Ratify New 4-Year Contract After Historic Strike - Here are The Terms

Sharp HealthCare's registered nurses have successfully ratified a new 4-year contract through their union, the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP). The agreement, which covers approximately 5,700 RNs, was approved by a supermajority of union members on January 23, 2026, following a tentative agreement reached on January 12, 2026.

The agreement brings an end to a seven-month labor campaign that spotlighted concerns over unsafe staffing, below-market wages, and punitive sick leave policies, issues nurses said were putting both patient care and frontline workers at risk.

What began as a strike authorization ultimately escalated into one of San Diego’s largest healthcare strikes in decades, culminating in a three-day walkout over Thanksgiving. Union leaders say the pressure forced meaningful movement at the bargaining table.

What the Agreement Includes

According to UNAC/UHCP, the agreement focuses on retaining and attracting registered nurses while improving patient care conditions across Sharp facilities.

Key wins include:

Wage Improvements

• 5% base-pay increase in the first year
• 4% annual increases for the following three years
• Implementation of a new wage grid based on RN experience, effective after October 1, 2026

Enhanced Sick Leave Benefits

• 72 hours of front-loaded extended sick leave (ESI) annually for both full-time and part-time nurses
• Additional 72 hours provided immediately upon contract ratification
• Rollover provision for unused ESI hours

Retiree Benefits Protection

• Restoration and improvement of medical benefits for retirees
• Successfully defended against management attempts to eliminate these benefits

Additional Professional Protections

• Enhanced professional liability coverage
• Clarified shift replacement and weekend scheduling rules
• Training rights for nurses facing layoffs
• Union shop membership requirements with a 6-month grace period

Leadership Statements

UNAC/UHCP President Andrea Muir, RN emphasized the collective effort: "Sharp registered nurses stood together to ensure that the San Diego community gets the health care they deserve."

Sharp's Senior VP Susan Stone, PhD, RN expressed satisfaction with the outcome: "We are pleased to have reached this agreement, which reflects our commitment to our nurses and our community."

Contract Timeline

• Effective Date: Upon ratification (January 23, 2026)
• Expiration Date: September 30, 2029
• Duration: 4 years

This contract represents a significant victory for Sharp's nursing workforce, addressing key concerns around compensation, benefits, and working conditions while ensuring continued quality patient care for the San Diego community.

Union leaders emphasized that the agreement addresses the same core issues nurses had raised throughout the campaign.

“This tentative agreement is a big win not just for Sharp registered nurses but for Sharp’s patients and the San Diego community,” said Andrea Muir, RN, president of the UNAC/UHCP affiliate at Sharp and a member of the bargaining team.

“We addressed outstanding sick leave, wage, and retirement issues in a manner that benefits both patients and nurses. We would never have gotten this far without the solidarity and hard work of Sharp RNs, who stood strong together and would not give up.”

A Seven-Month Campaign That Put Patient Care Front and Center

The agreement follows a months-long effort by Sharp nurses that included:

• A one-day informational picket
• A three-day strike over Thanksgiving week
• Sustained public messaging focused on patient safety, staffing, and fairness

Throughout the campaign, nurses repeatedly emphasized they were “walking out for patients, not walking away from them.”

The strike drew widespread attention due to its timing during one of the busiest hospital weeks of the year and underscored broader staffing challenges facing healthcare systems nationwide.

Why This Matters for the Nursing Profession as a Whole

The Sharp HealthCare agreement reflects a much larger shift happening across the nursing profession nationwide. As hospitals continue to grapple with staffing shortages, burnout, and retention crises, nurses are increasingly organizing around core issues that directly impact patient safety: safe staffing levels, fair compensation, and policies that allow nurses to be human, like staying home when sick without fear of discipline.

This seven-month campaign shows that sustained collective action can move large healthcare systems, even in high-cost, competitive labor markets. It also reinforces a message nurses across the country have been repeating for years: working conditions are patient care conditions.

The visibility of the Sharp strike—especially its timing over Thanksgiving—signals to hospital executives, policymakers, and the public that nurses are no longer willing to absorb systemic failures in silence. For nurses everywhere, the agreement serves as both validation and precedent: advocacy works, solidarity matters, and patient-centered care starts with supporting the nurses at the bedside.

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