SAN DIEGO - University of California nurses ratified a two-year contract worked out between the university system and the California Nurses Association, UC reported Saturday.

The pact applies to about 9,000 nurses, including those working at UCSD Medical Center, UC Irvine Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center and those assigned to student health centers in the UC system.

Under the deal, UC will give nurses 4 percent salary increases, effective Jan. 1, according to a UC statement. The raise is on top of the "market increase" the university system gave its nurses in September during negotiations with the union, according to the statement.

The total wage increase is at least 6 percent, said Noel Van Nyhuis of the University of California.

"Other key issues regarding nurse staffing and patient lifting were also resolved," according to the statement. "Each UC medical center will settle conflicts over perceived staffing ratio issues with internal review committees, with the possibility of final resolution through a neutral third party."

UC also reported that each of the five medical centers in the UC system will "implement a lift policy that would provide patient transfer and lifting devices, or lift teams to assist with patient lifting."

Charles Idelson of the CNA said the union has been locked in a "high- profile battle" with Arnold Schwarzenegger for a year over the governor's effort "to roll back registered-nurse-to-patient ratios."

"It's extremely important that the nurses were able to achieve a breakthrough for staffing ratios …," Idelson said in a telephone interview. He described the development as an "important step forward to insure safety for patients."