Union nurses and other healthcare professionals will participate in an informational picket March 4 at ACMH Hospital in Kittanning, Pa., according to a TribLIVE report.
About 125 members of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals are slated to protest what they deem as "unfair labor practices and unsafe staffing levels" at the hospital.
"This is a new union and they want to protest to show they're going to stand up against what they see as unfair," union spokeswoman Emily Rodriguez said in the report. "Maintaining safe staffing levels is one of the biggest issues, because if there are not enough LPNs and technical staff, patient care will suffer."
Anne Remaley, the hospital's vice president of human relations, said in the report the hospital disagrees with the union's plans to picket, but will work to ensure that the picket does not interfere with patients and their families having access to ACMH.
The union is requesting to add a respiratory therapist position for each shift, as well as cost-of-living wage increases and a larger contribution by the hospital into employee retirement plans, according to the report.
Since August, workers and hospital administration have met about 20 times for negotiations, the report reads. Other bargaining sessions are scheduled through the end of March.
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