Healthcare Workers at Six N.J. Hospitals Victorious
Used Novel Contract Strategy to Win Staffing Levels

All Threatened to Strike Simultaneously; One Group Had Three-Week Walkout

Washington, D.C.—Using a novel strategy, 4,000 nurses and other healthcare workers at six northern New Jersey hospitals, whose contracts expired at the same time, all won contract language on safe staffing levels after banding together and threatening to strike simultaneously.

"The ‘One Voice’ campaign shows the power and sincerity of 4,000 dedicated nurses and other healthcare workers who fought together for better patient care," Ann Twomey, president of Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE), said Thursday. HPAE represents the workers at the six hospitals.

"We now have established an area standard for staffing levels that other regions in New Jersey and elsewhere should emulate. This is good for patients and for the nurses who care for them," said Twomey, who is a top officer of AFT Healthcare, the national union of New Jersey’s HPAE.

AFT Healthcare strongly supports federal legislation recently introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., that would set national nurse staffing levels for hospitals.

There is no corporate relationship between the six New Jersey hospitals; contract negotiations for each were conducted separately. However, all six hospitals are located in northern New Jersey. The "One Voice" campaign created leverage for the workers -- their contracts expired on either May 31 or June 1, and they gained a public profile for their common contract issues, primarily staffing levels, wage increases, and improved pension plans.

Of the six hospitals involved, only the workers at Bergen Regional Medical Center were forced into a three-week strike. The Bergen nurses, social workers, pharmacists and other healthcare workers returned to work June 23 after approving a contract.

The new contracts at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Bayonne Medical Center and Pascack Valley Hospital include specific nurse-to-patient ratios for all units. Contracts at Bergen Regional and Christ Hospital include agreements to create staffing committees to set staffing ratios. The contract at Palisades Medical Center includes an agreement to increase staffing levels for registered nurses and other healthcare workers.

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