PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — One of four hospitals engaged in contract talks with its nurses has reached an agreement and averted a strike. But more than 2,000 unionized nurses are still without a contract.
PASNAP, the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, represents nurses at Einstein Medical Center, St. Mary Medical Center, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.
On Thursday, the Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital Nurses Association ratified its contract with the hospital. Jacqueline Ximines, co-president of the nurses union there, said one of the main issues was safe staffing, especially during the pandemic and the current increase in COVID-19 cases.
“Absolutely that was one of our concerns that we had. Nobody wanted a strike, we all wanted to avert a strike. I’m ecstatic that we did because the numbers are quickly on the rise, and they are going to rise faster than the first time around,” Ximines said.
The nurses union also secured a 13% pay hike over four years.
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At St. Mary, 800 nurses have been in negotiations for over a year, and the union there is planning a two-day strike beginning Tuesday.
The hospital’s parent company, Trinity Health, said the walkout will cost nurses five days, because the hospital will have to transition from replacement nurses back to unionized nurses when the strike is done.
Meanwhile, talks continue between 1,000 unionized nurses and Einstein, and between St. Christopher’s and the union which represents 500 nurses there.
Both of those unions have authorized a strike but have yet to give 10 days notice to the hospitals.
St. Christopher’s parent company, Tower Health, has issued a statement saying, “We have not received a strike notice for St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and continue to work on resolving the few remaining issues.”
Einstein echoed that statement regarding it’s bargaining with the union in a prepared statement, saying they are working to reach an agreement without a strike.
If there is a strike, the statement continued, the hospital will stay open, and “Einstein will implement a comprehensive strike contingency plan to ensure minimal, if any, disruption for those getting care or visiting our hospital during PASNAP’s strike. Our plan includes hiring licensed, experienced temporary replacement nurses who will care for patients during any strike.”