Nurses at Pittsburgh hospital approve new contract

A Pittsburgh hospital's registered nurses have approved a new, three-year contract.

The union says the contract agreed on Monday night raises hiring rates for nurses at Allegheny General Hospital, provides longevity increases for experienced nurses and improves nurse-to-patient ratios

Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania represents 1,300 nurses at the hospital.

No details of the deal were released, which replaces a one-year agreement that expired Oct. 13.

The nurses remained on the job as negotiations continued.

Allegheny General says in a statement that the deal was a "fair and competitive agreement."

The union says the contract expands the quality and process improvement initiatives that nurses have spearheaded over the past seven years.