The two major points of contention in current negotiations are pay and health care. The current union employee contract was up for renewal in February, but initial dissatisfaction and resulting discussions over the contract were initiated in December. The union is currently asking for a higher wages equal to wages in hospitals throughout California. “They want the same wage as their peers are making in other parts of the region. We feel like we’re being very cautious. We’re into maintaining a great experience for our employees,” says Sutter Amador CEO Anne Platt. Union employees site Kaiser Hospital, which has universally raised pay for its employees within Kaiser’s own private system. The union is also asking for more health care benefits.