CGH Medical Center employees ratify first contract after 5 years of conflict: Union official

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 announced Wednesday afternoon that after five years of disputes with hospital management, CGH Medical Center employees represented by the union have ratified their first union contract.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 announced Wednesday afternoon that after five years of disputes with hospital management, CGH Medical Center employees represented by the union have ratified their first union contract. A tentative agreement was reached on June 29 and overwhelmingly ratified by union members during voting held Monday through Wednesday, according to Ben Conboy, AFSCME Council 31 communications director. CGH employees first organized their union in 2019 and were certified by the Illinois Labor Relations Board in 2021.

AFSCME represents workers at CGH’s main medical center and its network of nearly 20 satellite clinics. CGH is one of the few large medical providers in the Sterling/Rock Falls region of northern Illinois. “We organized our union because we wanted a real voice in the decisions that affect our patients and our families – safe staffing, fair pay and a say in our working conditions,” said Shelly Houzenga, a medical technologist at the hospital and a member of the union bargaining committee.

“For five years, we fought for that voice, and we’ve won it with this contract. Because of these protections, CGH will be a better place for patients and staff alike.” According to the release, key provisions in the contract include: - Wage increases of at least 9.75% over the three-year contract, with higher wages due for many employees through a new twice-yearly process for market-based wage adjustments - Two additional days of paid time off per year - No increase in health insurance premiums in 2026, with strong protections against future cost-shifting onto employees - The establishment of a grievance procedure that will protect employees’ rights and resolve workplace issues fairly - A $2-per-hour pay differential for employees performing charge duties - Limits on the use of temporary, out-of-town workers when regular employees are available to do the work The announcement comes after the Illinois General Assembly voted to amend the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act to allow an independent arbitrator to decide union contracts when the parties can’t reach an agreement.

The change was prompted in part by years–long roadblocks CGH management used to delay an agreement, according to the union. The union maintains that the prospect of allowing an outside arbitrator to make final determinations about its employment policies compelled CGH management to commit to reaching a contract settlement, paving the way for the contract members voted to approve. Shaw Local has reached out to CGH for comment.

“Despite going up against an employer that was hostile to their union from the very start, CGH workers never wavered,” AFSCME Council 31 Executive Director Roberta Lynch said. “They organized, they spoke out, and they stood together through years of delay. This agreement is a testament to their determination to make CGH a better place to work and a better place for patients.”

The history In late 2019, employees at CGH Medical Center in Sterling, led by Council 31 of the AFSCME, began efforts to unionize. The union filed petitions after months of organizing, claiming majority support among staff. CGH objected, alleging fraud and coercion in collecting union cards, and argued that certain employees, including a specialty nurse group and an electronic medical records trainer, should be excluded from the bargaining unit.

However, in 2021, a state labor judge dismissed most of CGH’s objections for lack of evidence, agreeing only that the EMR trainer should be excluded from the union. Following that decision, AFSCME urged CGH to accept the ruling and certify the union. Almost 1,000 employees, including nurses, CNAs, phlebotomists and other health workers, supported the unionization to secure better pay, fair treatment and a stronger voice in patient care.

At that time, CGH leadership said it still was considering the next steps, prioritizing care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Union supporters emphasized that forming a union would strengthen the hospital and improve service to the community. However, after the union was officially certified by the Illinois Labor Relations Board in 2021, tensions between the hospital and the union continued.

Over the past few years, the union and CGH have filed multiple complaints against each other, including an issue involving a December 2019 letter from CGH President and CEO Paul Steinke. Administrative Law Judge Anna Hamburg-Gal ruled in March 2022 that the letter, published by Shaw Local in print and online, violated state labor laws. The letter provided detailed instructions on how employees could revoke their union support and included disparaging remarks about the union, claiming it would waste dues and harm relationships with management.

Hamburg-Gal found that the letter was coercive, discouraging employees from maintaining union membership and encouraging them to report revocation to human resources. Although CGH argued the union’s complaint was filed too late, the judge proceeded with the case, siding with the union. In early 2025, Houzenga urged the Sterling City Council to pass a resolution showing its support for CGH management to quickly reach an agreement with the union.

She said CGH has spent $1.7 million in attorneys’ fees related to its efforts to fight the establishment of the union and “silence voices.”