Bayonne University Hospital workers and Jersey City nurses at The Heights University have both avoided strikes by ratifying new contracts that guarantee nurse to patient ratios and other benefits.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The two HPAE bargaining committees were each initially presented with dozens of pages of employer proposals that would have completely decimated each of the local contracts,” HPAE President Debbie White said in a statement.
“Not only did these strong union members fight back most of the employer takebacks, but they were able to win significant wages and benefits as well. We hope these new contracts will lay the groundwork for better management of these hospitals and improved patient care.”
Earlier this month, the two healthcare unions authorized their bargaining committees to give 10-day notices of their intent to go out on an Unfair Labor Practice strike if they are unable to reach a new contract agreement, as HCV first reported.
The newly ratified contract for HPAE Local 5185, which covers Registered Nurses, Professionals, Technical Staff, Service Workers, and Business Office Clericals at Bayonne University Hospital is the first HPAE Contract to include safe staffing ratios for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA).
The CNA safe staffing ratio is one CNA for every nine patients.
The new contracts also include across-the-board wage increases of a minimum of 12 percent in the first year and 3 percent each in the second and third years of the contracts.
The contracts offer other economic improvements, including better benefits and additional improvements to working conditions.
Hudson Regional Health (HRH), formerly Hudson Regional Hospital, gained approval from the New Jersey Department of Health to operate Bayonne hospital in March.
They later gained control of University Heights, formerly known as Christ Hospital, through the CarePoint Health bankruptcy proceedings which concluded the following month.
Local 5185 President Christine Crimaldi added that her members are gratified that their solidarity has led to these improvements in working conditions that will help them care for their patients.
“This contract was hard fought for by our unionized healthcare workers. From day one we stood united to stop any take aways and push for our top priority of safe staffing guaranteed in our union contract,” she noted.
Local 5186 President Nicole Mankowski also praised members at Heights Hospital for their perseverance and added that she hopes the new contract there, with improved pay and working conditions, will help relieve stress and bring stability to the hospital.
“These two contracts bring the total to 11 HPAE contracts bargained in the past year that outline enforceable safe staffing in our contracts and we continue to press for safe staffing in every hospital through legislation,” White concluded.
