SOMERS POINT, N.J.,
Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Nurses at Shore Medical Center today announced a one-day strike
scheduled to begin on October
22nd at 7am after
management failed to offer a fair deal and refused to bargain in
good faith after almost a year of negotiations.
This comes after the original one-day strike scheduled for
October 8th was postponed
so the nurses could prepare to help the community if Hurricane
Joaquin hit New Jersey.
Under the terms of the most recent contract, Shore Medical
Center made millions of dollars, and its CEO was paid over
$1.5 million according to 2013 data.
Shore Medical would continue to make millions under the terms of a
new contract proposed by the nurses.
But, Shore's management wants more and has demanded
changes to health benefits, retirement benefits, wages, and
time-off benefits that would cost thousands of dollars per year per
nurse.
NJ Senate President Stephen
Sweeney (D-3rd District) issued the
following statement in support of Shore RNs: "I have said time and
again across New Jersey that a
nurse's life is not easy. Nurses are the ones who tend to our
sick and vulnerable all day, every day. That is why I am
standing with Shore Medical nurses – because they stand with those
who try to create better working conditions and services for
patients. It is never acceptable to have the quality of
healthcare be driven by the bottom line. It should always be
about what is best for the patient. That is what Shore
Medical nurses want and why they are fighting for a fair and
reasonable contract. They deserve good benefits and the
knowledge that they can be secure in their retirement. It is
time that Shore Medical management do the right thing."
Bob McDevitt, President of UNITE
HERE Local 54 said: "Shore Medical nurses have been put in a
position where it seems like the only way to have Shore management
come to the table with a reasonable offer is to strike. This is
certainly not what Shore nurses want. They want to continue to
provide the same level of high quality care they always have for
the community, and under a contract that is fair.
Unfortunately, Shore management continues to put their own
interests over the well-being of working people. UNITE HERE Local
54 will continue to fully support them in their efforts to a secure
a fair contract."
Ann Twomey, President, Health
Professionals and Allied Employees said: "Nurses throughout
New Jersey work every day to
provide the best care possible for our patients and our
communities. But, without the right resources and policies, the
health and safety of patients can be put at
risk. That is the fight we are seeing at Shore
Medical Center. Nurses are fighting for a voice in patient care
decisions, and for policies that keep qualified nurses at the
bedside. They have earned a fair contract that provides
adequate benefits. On behalf of the 12,000 nurses and health care
workers represented by HPAE, we stand with Shore Medical
nurses as they fight for a fair contract that protects patients and
recognizes the contribution of the nursing profession."
Marcus King, President Teamsters,
Local 331 said: "We stand strong with our brothers and sisters from
the Shore Nurses Union. It's an outrage when hospital executives
who make millions propose givebacks in
retirement benefits, health
benefits and time-off benefits as well as wage
reductions – and that's happening at Shore Medical
Center. We hope the Shore Nurses Union can secure a fair contract
to avoid a strike. If not, the Teamsters are ready to support their
efforts and will not cross the picket line."
Bill DeLorenzo, President of
Atlantic City Professional Firefighters Local 198 said: "Nurses at
Shore Medical Center are on the front lines 24/7, just as we are,
helping residents of South Jersey in their time of need. We stand
strong with them – as they fight for what is right and what is
deserved: fair wages, affordable health benefits, and fair
retirement benefits. The nurses leave their families every day to
take care of those who need help, and we need to make sure they can
take care of their families too. "
The proposed numbers from hospital management are staggering
from 125 fewer hours in time-off benefits per nurse to slashing the
salaries of new nurses by 10% while hospital revenues and executive
salaries increase.
These unrealistic demands will hurt the nurses, their families
and, in the end, the whole South Jersey community, making it harder
to recruit the best of the best for critical healthcare
services.
In addition to refusing to engage in good faith bargaining,
management has also violated federal law by:
- Delaying the release of vital information to union members for
bargaining purposes;
- Prohibiting nurses from wearing union buttons or insignia,
while allowing employees to wear other buttons and insignia;
- Parading strike replacements throughout the hospital, stating
that these are your replacements when you go on strike.
The National Labor Relations Board has set a hearing date for
these unfair labor practices for December
10, 2015.
Shore Medical Nurses Union has released a radio ad calling on
the management at Shore Medical to negotiate a fair contract and
avoid a strike. The ad began airing on September 29, and can be found
here: https://soundcloud.com/shorenurses/patients-above-profits-a-message-from-shore-nurses-union.
Billboards have also been installed in Egg Harbor and Marmora to raise awareness of the campaign for
a fair contract.
To learn more about the fight for a fair contract, go to:
http://www.patientsaboveprofits.com/
The Shore Nurses Union, an affiliate of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)
represents more than 37,000 members in New York and
New Jersey. For more information,
please visit our website at www.nysna.org.
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SOURCE Shore Nurses Union/NYSNA