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The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, the largest nurses union in the US, reached a deal Friday with 28 California hospitals and 2 Nevada ones, averting the (unlikely) possibility of a swine-flu-era strike. The contract, which still needs to be ratified by members, covers about 12,000 nurses and includes a 20% raise over four years. The contract also includes a groundbreaking collaborative effort for dealing with pandemic diseases, such as swine flu. The CNA and the Catholic Healthcare West system will together create and maintain an emergency task force dedicated to set statewide standards, monitor preparedness, and oversee technology, training, and communication. A union spokesman called the agreement "unique and unparalleled."