Inspira registered nurses plan to picket
VINELAND - About 1,300 nurses at Inspira Health Network hospitals across the South Jersey region are planning a one-day picket next month should contract negotiations stall between two unions and the health care organization.
According to union representatives from Health Professional and Allied Employees, which represents nurses at Inspira’s four regional locations, a federal mediator has been requested to sit in on negotiations scheduled Friday between the two parties.
The two unions and Inspira apparently have not resolved contract disputes for registered nurses currently on staff, HPAE Public Policy Director Bridget Devane said.
An outdoor informational picket is planned for June 6 at the following Inspira locations:
- Vineland
- Elmer
- Bridgeton
- Woodbury
“Right now we haven’t been getting a whole lot of movement at the table,” Devane said. “But if we come to an agreement, obviously we’ll cancel the picket.”
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Inspira Health Network President and CEO John DiAngelo said residents should not anticipate a major disruption in services at the hospitals during the picket.
“Although HPAE has informed us this is not a strike and there should be no interruption in the current schedules or in the delivery of patient care, we will take appropriate action to ensure that patient access and quality care continues,” DiAngelo said.
DiAngelo also commented on the negotiations.
“Inspira is dedicated to negotiating in good faith with HPAE to reach a contract that is fair for everyone,” he said. “Our discussions have been productive and we have reached tentative agreements on numerous articles.”
What’s at issue for the unions – HPAE Local 5131 and 5621 – are claims of under staffing at Inspira hospitals, patient safety, benefits complaints and other issues.
What the unions essentially want is a written agreement from Inspira to hire more nurses, as well as new contracts that have identical benefits for all nurses in the system, Devane said.
Their current contract expires Tuesday.
“The issue is trying to make everything equal across the system — all nurses having the same benefits,” Devane said. “We are having many difficulties.”
“Our health care system is in a state of constant change, and we need strong standards to protect patient care and our workplace rights. In these contract negotiations, nurses from all Inspira hospitals have joined together to fight for the same protections,” Rich Wear, RN and HPAE Local 5621 president at the Woodbury hospital, said.
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When it comes to staffing issues, HPAE claims Inspira’s hospitals are understaffed, affecting both nurses’ work abilities and patients’ service.
“Staffing is an ongoing issue,” Devane said. “The nurses are reporting they’re constantly under pressure to try to make up for the lack of staffing. This is really about getting in writing guidelines for how to staff the hospital. They’ve been pushing on this for years now.”
The federal mediator requested by the union comes from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which provides a neutral, third-party perspective to negotiating parties in collective bargaining disputes, according to its website.
DiAngelo said he welcomes a mediator to the bargaining table.
“We have used a federal mediator in the past with successful results,” he said. “Inspira invites the input and participation of the mediator as part of our bargaining process as we work with the union for a contract that is fair to our nurses, fair to our health system and fair to the communities we serve."
Daniel J. Kov; (856) 563-5262; dkov@gannettnj.com