Members of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals are set to launch five-day strikes Dec. 22 affecting Prime Healthcare's Suburban Community Hospital in Norristown, Pa., and Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, Pa.
The union represents 94 nurses at Suburban and 131 at Lower Bucks, a union spokesperson told Becker's. Prime, based in Ontario, Calif., operates 44 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states.
Union members voted to authorize a strike earlier in December, according to a PASNAP news release shared with Becker's. Their labor contracts lapsed on Oct. 11, and they have been negotiating a new deal with Prime. Prime said in a statement shared with Becker's that during negotiations, it has delivered proposals to the union from the hospitals "that would increase wages and provide a valuable healthcare plan, maintain important benefits, and be competitive with other hospitals in the market."
The union contends issues its members have raised in ongoing negotiations remain unaddressed. They specifically seek to address staffing needs, recruitment and retention of nurses, and resources for workers. They also seek improved health insurance. "We show up every day in the hospital for our patients, and we've shown up at the bargaining table in good faith with our patients foremost in our minds for months. We will never abandon them or each other. Prime needs to understand that," Terena Stinson, RN, co-president of the Suburban General Nurses' Association, an affiliate of PASNAP, said in the union release.
"It is disappointing that despite progress being made, the union has walked away from negotiations and has chosen to strike," Prime's statement says. "But that will not impact our commitment to providing quality patient care to our communities throughout the holidays and always."
The strikes in Pennsylvania are scheduled to begin Dec. 22 and continue through Dec. 26. Meanwhile, members of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West are set to launch five-day strikes Dec. 20 affecting four Prime Healthcare facilities in Southern California.