Norristown Nurses Picket 'Unsafe And Illegal' Suburban Community Hospital

NORRISTOWN, PA -- A total of 150 nurses staged a picket line outside of a Norristown hospital Tuesday to protest what they call "unsafe and illegal" behavior.

The protest took place at Suburban Community Hospital and was targeted at the hospital owners, Prime Healthcare.

According to the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, Prime Healthcare has refused to adopt key terms in the contracts of the nurse's union.

The nurses in Norristown joined 2500 nurses across the Philadelphia region on Tuesday to protest unsafe conditions. Pickets will also take place at Hahnemann Hospital, Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children, and Albert Einstein Medical Center Tuesday.

According to the union, the National Labor Relations Board is currently pursuing a complaint against the hospital and took the hospital to court over their violations of safety laws on October 18. A ruling is pending.

"Suburban Community Hospital values our nursing staff and the compassionate care they provide to our patients," the hospital said in a statement. "We look forward to establishing a new collective bargaining agreement in a timely manner and have been negotiating with PASNAP throughout 2016. We are also optimistic that the upcoming meetings scheduled with the union will produce positive outcomes. This is not a strike. Please be assured that access for patients and visitors to Suburban Community Hospital will not be impeded by the union’s informational campaign. Our hospital staff and physicians remain ready to serve the community, as always."

Prime, a for-profit hospital system, bought Suburban in March. At that time, they said that their goal is to restore and rejuvenate local community hospitals which they believe should not have to close.

The hospital opened in 1944 as Riverview Hospital on 740 Sandy Street in Norristown.

PASNAP represents 8,300 nurses and health professionals throughout the state.

Patch file photo.