Union health care workers cast a “yes” vote for a new three-year contract at Bayonne Medical Center on Thursday, after rejecting earlier proposals by management 10 days ago. The rejection by 850 health care workers of so-called “final proposals” from the hospital on June 5 had led to a 3-day lock-out of workers by the hospital, which ended after intense political pressure and patient complaints about care by temporary workers in the hospital.
The new proposed contract had been recommended by the union members’ bargaining committee of Local 5185 of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) after renewed negotiations on Sunday, June 14 resulted in a tentative agreement.
“This agreement restores some of the severe cuts management tried to impose through their last offer on June 5,” said Ann Twomey. “We res tored employees’ seniority rights in case of a layoff, added back severance pay, and mitigated the substantive loss of vacation and sick time. Most importantly, the healthcare workers at Bayonne took a strong stand for their working conditions and for patient care standards, and we were supported by our community and elected officials.”
In addition to contract issues, the union won the reinstatement of a technician fired during the negotiations.
The contract at Bayonne Medical Center is the last of eight contracts negotiated and settled this year so far by HPAE, with three from Hudson County, one from Bergen and three in southern NJ hospitals. Later this year, HPAE will negotiate at Jersey Shore Medical Center, and is currently negotiating mid-term contract talks at UMDNJ.
HPAE represents 12,000 nurses and healthcare workers around the state.