SOMERS POINT — Nurses at Shore Medical Center have agreed
on a new contract with the hospital after working without one for nearly two
years.
Officials at Shore Nurses Union, which represents 340 of
the hospital’s nurses, said Friday they and the New York State Nurses
Association approved a new four-year contract that settles issues over
salaries, benefits and time off.
“We negotiated very hard and persisted in our demands,”
said Dottie Rudert, a registered nurse at Shore and a member of the union’s
executive committee. “In the end, there were no takeaways and we achieved a
strong contract that will keep our most experienced nurses at the hospital.”
The deal includes wage increases for registered nurses
and retention of retirement benefits, according to the union.
"Shore Medical Center is proud of our professional
nursing staff that provides the highest quality of care to the members of our
community,” said Brian Cahill, Shore spokesman. “We are pleased to have reached
a fair agreement for both parties."
Union nurses said the contract will serve to attract
other experienced nurses to the hospital.
Shore’s nurses had been working without a contract since
September 2014, union officials said. Union and hospital officials were at odds
over issues including salary, benefits, pension, privatization of some services
and time off.
Several planned strikes by union nurses in 2015 were
called off, but they rallied outside the hospital to bring attention to their
labor dispute.
“Our pay and benefits let us care for our families and
contribute economically to the communities where we live,” said Nancy Burton,
registered nurse and union co-president. “Most important, by keeping
experienced nurses at Shore, we can provide great care for our patients.”
Source: Press
of Atlantic City
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