Nurses at Bonner General Health in Sandpoint, Idaho, will strike if they feel a fair contract cannot be achieved through negotiations with the hospital, according to a Bonner County Daily Bee report.
The nurses recently approved a strike vote, which does not initiate a strike, but does give the nurses authority to call a strike later in the bargaining process.
In a statement provided to the Bonner County Daily Bee, Bonner General Health officials called the vote "disheartening."
They said the hospital aims to address issues such as continued operational efficiency, staffing and wages during negotiations with nurses, who are represented by Teamsters Local Union 690.
The hospital has proposed, among other things, that nurses in the maternity and emergency departments accept an on-call schedule to ensure the availability of specialized nurses during unplanned absences or fluctuating patient levels, according to the report.
When contacted by the Bonner County Daily Bee for comment on the strike vote and current negotiations, the union said they have no information at this time.
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