By Associated Press - Friday, January 24, 2020

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - A deal has been struck that could avert a strike by unionized nurses at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City.

Nurses represented by the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 222 voted earlier this month to authorize a walkout.

“We are pleased that after more than seven months of working to reach a fair and equitable contract agreement, MercyOne Siouxland leaders and nursing union representatives from UFCW Local 222 have reached a tentative agreement,” MercyOne said in a news release Thursday night.

Details about the agreement have not been publicly released. Voting dates on the deal will be announced soon, the union said.

The two sides have been negotiating since at least June. The local’s current contract expired Sept. 1.

The nurses sought a better nurse-to-patient ratio, higher pay, better benefits and an improved strategy to handle turnover at the hospital.

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