JOILET, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Nurses at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital in Joliet are on strike amid a contract dispute and they are expected to be out of the hospital longer than originally expected.
About 500 nurses had planned a two-day walkout, but administrators at Ascension Saint Joseph announced a two day lockout will follow due to the contract it has with replacement nurses.
Those replacements are part of the disagreement between the Illinois Nurses Association and management. The two sides have been negotiating since May over wages and staffing shortages. The union said the hospital did not want to consider the experience some nurses had working in other countries when weighing pay increases.
The hospital said surgeries will be performed as needed while support services will continue as normal.
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