Lourdes Health System and St. Francis Medical Center are among hospitals in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania that have increased their minimum wages to $15.
The hospitals, part of the Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic region, join a number of others in the area that have recently committed to a $15 wage.
The move by the health care industry comes as New Jersey’s Legislature is working on a bill to make the minimum wage increase, in phases, to $15 over the next several years.
“What pleases me the most about our decision is that this increase will benefit the colleagues upon whom we most depend,” said Reginald Blaber, who represents Lourdes.
“I am talking about the folks responsible for creating first impressions for our facilities — the colleagues who greet our patients and families, who keep our facilities clean and safe, and who deliver hot meals and transport our patients. Their service is not only valuable, but critical to achieving our goals as an organization.”
Lourdes is in the process of a merger with Virtua Health, which also recently committed to a $15 minimum wage.
Daniel Moen, president of St. Francis in Trenton, also touted the importance of employees who would be affected by the change. The move would affect 1,500 employees at Trinity Health.
“Every St. Francis employee has an important job,” Moen said. “The increase is the right thing to do in showing our employees how much they are valued, and it aligns with our mission of caring for the greater community.”
