Striking RWJ Nurses, Hospital Meet Again With Federal Mediators Friday

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — The nurses who remain on strike at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center in New Brunswick paid for this banner to be flown over the Jets-Chiefs NFL game Sunday night in the Meadowlands.

The banner message read: “Tell Robert Wood Johnson Safe Nurse Staffing Saves Lives.”

The nursing strike at one of New Jersey's top hospitals has now entered its third month. RWJ nurses went on strike before, but their last strike did not last this long.

Approximately 1,700 nurses walked off the job at the New Brunswick hospital Aug. 4. They are calling for increased staffing and pay raises. Meanwhile the hospital says it has met their demands, but the nurses refused previous contract offers.

The next federal mediated session between the nurses' union and the hospital is scheduled for this Friday, Oct. 6.

The negotiations will be held at the FMCS Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services offices inside the Woodbridge Place Building (517 Rt. 1 south) in the Iselin section of Woodbridge. Negotiations will resume at 9 a.m. sharp this Friday.

“We look forward to resuming negotiations, and hope the union shares our commitment to reaching a resolution that ends this strike immediately and prioritizes the well-being and livelihood of our nurses and their families," said the hospital in a statement this week.

Meanwhile, the nurses decry the hospital for taking away their heath insurance while they remain on strike. They also criticized RWJBarnabas for hiring temporary fill-in nurses.

RWJBarnabas says they have been forced to hired 800 fill-in nurses to keep the hospital fully staffed, and the total cost for replacement staff is now up to $72.6 million. Individual pay for replacement nurses is typically higher than base pay for regular hospital nurse staff.

RWJUH Cuts Off Health Insurance For Nurses On Strike, Starting Friday (Aug. 29)