The Shore Nurses Union, the collective bargaining unit that represents nurses at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, N.J., has postponed its strike this week to prepare for the potential effects of Hurricane Joaquin, according to a report from The Press of Atlantic City.
Nurses made plans last month to strike for one day Oct. 8.
"We all became nurses because we are called to help people in their time of need," Jeanette Martin, a seven-year nurse, said in the report. "With the storm coming, there was no debate. We must postpone the strike and be there for our community."
Following the postponement, the union will have to submit another 10-day notice before a possible strike, union officials said, according to The Press of Atlantic City. In the meantime, Shore Medical Center is still optimistic that an agreement will be reached through collective bargaining and a strike will be averted.
The 340 nurses at Shore Medical Center have been working without a contract since September 2014. Union and hospital officials have been at odds over the past year on issues such as salary, benefits and time off, according to the report.
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