Robert Wood Johnson Univ Hospital Nurses to Strike

cathlab1 · Aug 22, 2006

Good Luck !

ChocoholicRN · Aug 23, 2006

anyone think that their will be some sort or last minute agreement on wednesday night? im really not looking forward to our nurses going on strike (i work at rwjuh).

lee1 · Aug 23, 2006

anyone think that their will be some sort or last minute agreement on wednesday night? im really not looking forward to our nurses going on strike (i work at rwjuh).

Why did so many nurses vote "NO". What exactly is the issue powerful enough to go on strike?

Reddy,RN · Aug 23, 2006

Health care benefits according to one report I googled:

Full service is expected to be offered during the strike called by United Steelworkers Local 4-200. In addition to the increased security force to minimize disruptions, the hospital will run shuttle buses to and from parking areas for employees who would rather not walk through a picket line. Escorts will also be available for employees entering and arriving.
A special number has also been established for employees with information and updates about the strike, scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. The number, (732) 253-3691, can be accessed 24 hours a day. Hospital officials have said replacement nurses will be at the ready, while other contingency plans are being made to bring little disruption to hospital services.
The nurses's union recently rejected the hospital's latest labor contract offer by an overwhelming margin. The contract dispute has largely centered around health-care benefits.

http://http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060822/NEWS0102/608220405/1005

clcrtrn · Aug 23, 2006

Why did so many nurses vote "NO". What exactly is the issue powerful enough to go on strike?

The biggest issue is the penalties for not using RWJ for proceedures, admissions etc. and the lack of coverage for some sevices. Not only is there a deductable (reasonable enough), but there is a $800 penalty PER INCIDENT if RWJ is not used. Alot of nurses live 45 minutes to an hour away. It seems a bit insenitive and extreme to penalize valued employees so heavily for wanting to obtain health care closer to home. There a numerous instances of services not being covered for any number of reasons even though nurses followed the guidelines set up by the plan. One nurse has a child who needs frequent proceedures that are not provided by RWJ or any affiliated hospitals. She must pay $800 every time she takes him. One or the largest cardiology groups affiliated with the hospital no longer accepts the insurance coverage provided by RWJ because of reimbursement issues. As the past few weeks went on more and more people came forth with similar stories of problems with their coverage or being called by hospital appointed collection agencies for outstanding bills, the majority of which were accrued penalties.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060824005412&newsLang=en

cathlab1 · Aug 24, 2006

That seems to be insensative and really outrageous. One would think that the hospital would go out of their way to take care of their own. After all, they do care for a large population of charity care patients and the price of health care is overwhelming, espeacially if you have a family memeber with a chronic condition. Usually strikes center around salary and health benefits. I agree with everyone. It seems that more than the nursing staff should be sending a message here. I imagine that non clinicians are affected equally by this benefit situation. Good Luck!!!

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Aug 26, 2006

how on earth did a large place like rwj get eough nurses in and up and running today??

i read they got nurses in from all over the country and world!

pyrolady · Aug 26, 2006

Folks, I hate like heck to mention this because the nurses at RWJU have a reason to strike HOWEVER....nurses in my home state (Michigan) in Petoskey have been on strike over staffing ratios and demand for better patient care for FOUR YEARS !!!! (It may be more....). The hospital bused in nurses from all over to cross the picket line and paid they HUGE salaries to do so. The town became divided over it, people fought, and all the while the corporation felt they wanted to spend their dollars fighting nurses who unionized. How STUPID !!! They spent (and ARE spending) more money to break the union just so "they" could be the winner. The patients lost because the issue is still unresolved, more nurses are out of work, heck - they weren't even debating salaries....it was patient care! Just my opinion, but "nurses" who cross picket lines and work - well, let's just leave it at that, no sense getting booted out of AllNurses .... :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :nono: :nono: :nono:

clcrtrn · Aug 26, 2006

Quick update:

Day 1 of the strike we had 1100 nurses on the picket line!! Management was expecting The Childrens Hospital nurses to cross...not a single one did. In their arrogance and misjudging our solidarity they did not transfer the PICU patients out two weeks ago as was arranged. Thursday morning saw a parade of ambulances scrambling out kids that should have been taken care of properly in advance. Nursing management is working 5 days a week 12 hour shifts...no over time. The hospital is paying the SCAB nurses 3 times the hourly salary we get to provide sub par coverage. We lost our Magnet staus, Level 1 Trauma status and our Homeland Security reginal hospital designation. Family members have been complaining that care is below what they have been getting. We have made numerous requests to get back to the table. We have even made offers to send in a team to help in the stabilization of critical patients should the need arise; all have been denied. We want nothing more than to end this and get back to our patients and give them the proper care they deserve, yet management refuses to come to the table.

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS03/608260340/1007

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS/608260358/1001

lee1 · Aug 26, 2006

Quick update:
Day 1 of the strike we had 1100 nurses on the picket line!! Management was expecting The Childrens Hospital nurses to cross...not a single one did. In their arrogance and misjudging our solidarity they did not transfer the PICU patients out two weeks ago as was arranged. Thursday morning saw a parade of ambulances scrambling out kids that should have been taken care of properly in advance. Nursing management is working 5 days a week 12 hour shifts...no over time. The hospital is paying the SCAB nurses 3 times the hourly salary we get to provide sub par coverage. We lost our Magnet staus, Level 1 Trauma status and our Homeland Security reginal hospital designation. Family members have been complaining that care is below what they have been getting. We have made numerous requests to get back to the table. We have even made offers to send in a team to help in the stabilization of critical patients should the need arise; all have been denied. We want nothing more than to end this and get back to our patients and give them the proper care they deserve, yet management refuses to come to the table.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS03/608260340/1007
http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060826/NEWS/608260358/1001

How did you lose your Magnet status, I thought that would be lost only if there was a definite labor violation???

You mean the hospital administration should have/could have moved out the PICU??? What about a NICU????

vamedic4, EMT-P · Aug 26, 2006

I am so incredibly disgusted at the manner in which RWJ is handling this.

It's amazing how a group of administrative morons can make life difficult for everyone...but most notably for the patients and their families.

Here we have the nurses, health care professionals whose job it is to care for these patients, striking for what seem VERY valid reasons - and no one in administration gives half a damn. I'm so sorry for any of you who are going thru this!!

Sounds like a doctor needs to grow some testicles and say "we need OUR nurses back, and we need them now...so do what you have to do to get them back, and keep them."

Here in Dallas a few years ago we had an attending cardiovascular surgeon who came back from family vacation and noticed that he recognized exactly zero nurses on the night shift in the ICU. HE WOKE THE HOSPITAL PRESIDENT UP AT A LITTLE AFTER MIDNIGHT TO DISCUSS HIS DISPLEASURE. Needless to say, things changed very quickly after their little chat.

This is what happens when penny pinching morons are allowed to run a health care organization.

To all you RWJ nurses out there I wish you only the best. I know you're trying to do the best you can!! Hang in there.

vamedic4

Hoping for an end soon