RWJ spends $120 million on replacement nurses as strike approaches fifth month

Striking nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick are awaiting a response on their latest contract proposal submitted last week, according to a union spokesperson.

"I think we are on Day 116, and we still are on strike," Judy Danella, a 28-year nurse at the hospital and president of USW 4‐200, the union representing 1,700 Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital nurses who have been on strike since Aug. 4, said Monday.

Danella said she's still waiting for the hospital to get back to the nurses about the union's latest proposal. No deadline was set for the hospital's response.

Danella said the proposal was similar to what the union has been asking for since the strike began. The nurses cite safe staffing levels related to patient-to-nurse ratios and removing any penalties for nurses who call out sick as the key issues to walking off the job.

During a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee field hearing with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at Rutgers University last month, one nurse described juggling so many responsibilities without help that some things don't get done.

"The proposal keeps going back and forth. We don't have anything until we get an actual offer," Danella said.

She said no mediation or negotiation sessions are scheduled and all communication has been going through emails. The hospital also reports no formal session has been called by the federal mediator and the two sides are actively exchanging proposals.

"There has been no face-to-face probably in greater than three weeks or so," Danella said. "It's frustrating. So here we wait."

The hospital, meanwhile, has paid more than $120 million for replacement nurses with the highest levels of certification and experience in acute care and specialized clinical areas, according to the hospital's community webpage.

"These funds could be better utilized for patient care, staff wages, and improvements throughout the hospital. Sadly, this will also deeply affect our nurses and their families, with lost wages and benefits," the hospital's Nov. 16 update on the strike says.

"It is unfortunate that we have not yet been able to arrive at a resolution with the union. We have agreed to meet with them multiple times and have been willing to explore dispute resolution mechanisms, including binding arbitration," according to the hospital's community webpage.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: RWJ NJ nurses strike heads to fifth month