Passaic, N.J.-based St. Mary's General Hospital confirmed to Becker's Hospital Review it is laying off less than 3 percent of its workforce, mainly in nonclinical positions.
St. Mary's said the changes were made "with careful attention paid to maintaining patient safety and the quality [of] care," according to an emailed statement.
Hospital officials partly attributed the decision to a significant reduction in charity care funding from the state of New Jersey this year. "Our hospital never denies care to the poor or uninsured, and this major loss of government reimbursement negatively affected our finances," they added.
JNESO District Council 1, the union representing more than 400 nurses and professional technical employees at St. Mary's, said Monday the layoffs affect seven nurses and 13 medical techs, according to The Record.
The union issued a news release in response to the layoffs, noting St. Mary's notified employees of the layoffs at the beginning of National Nurses Week, which runs May 6 to May 12. JNESO District Council 1 said it filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board regarding the layoffs.
"Just as the public is set to demonstrate its gratitude for nurses — our country's most trusted profession — the St. Mary's Hospital notified us late Friday afternoon that they not only intend to lay off our members, but that they had already met with these employees without union representation," Douglas Placa, executive director for JNESO District Council 1, said in the release. "This is not only a slap in the face to our members, but a clear violation of their ... rights."
The hospital contends it appropriately notified union members.
The layoffs come as the union is scheduled to begin collective bargaining with the hospital on a new contract.
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