Englewood (N.J.) Hospital and Medical Center nurses are bringing a federal mediator to the bargaining table.
Nearly 700 nurses represented by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees Local 5004, previously authorized their negotiating team to issue a 10-day strike notice to the hospital, according to a union news release. But instead of issuing a notice, they want a federal mediator to help as they work to reach a labor deal before their contract expires May 31.
Union officials said nurses seek enhanced staffing levels, opportunities for more educational growth, and "to protect the rights of unionized nurses and their ability to advocate for themselves and their patients in the future."
"Nurses are bargaining for improvements in patient safety and workers' rights, yet management has failed to reach an agreement that nurses will find acceptable," said Alice Barden, president of HPAE Local 5004. "Our demands have been rejected at every turn, but as nurses, we are unified in protecting all that we have established in our contract and to protect our community hospital."
Hospital officials said they remain hopeful for an agreement.
"We continue to negotiate in good faith with the union bargaining committee with the hope that we will come to an agreement before our contract expires. The guiding philosophy in all our contract proposals is what's in the best interest of our patients, our hospital and the communities we serve," they said in a statement to NJBIZ.
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