Inspira nurses reach tentative contract deal
From NJ.com
Nurses have reached a tentative contract agreement with Inspira Health Network, according to a press release issued Thursday by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union.
HPAE Locals 5131 and 5621 represent 1,300 registered nurses working at Inspira facilities in Vineland, Elmer, Bridgeton and Woodbury.
Details of the agreement will not be announced until nurses with both locals vote to ratify the agreement on July 7, union officials said. If approved, the contract will go into effect immediately, according to the release.
The agreement follows three contract extensions and the use of a federal mediator, according to the HPAE announcement.
Nurses had planned to picket the hospitals in early June, but those plans were delayed when the mediator joined negotiations.
The nurse contracts expired in May and the nurses union planned on picketing in front of Inspira hospitals this week.
“This agreement addresses our priority to retain and recruit qualified nurses at the bedside so we can provide the best care for our patients and our community,” said Dana Barrett, RN and HPAE Local 5131 president, in a statement.
The wage and benefits package included in the agreement will help Inspira to continue attracting and retaining top nursing talent, according to a press release issued by the health network.
“The new agreements will create greater benefit parity across the system and will continue to promote more opportunities for education by providing our nurses an increase in tuition reimbursement, and incentives to obtain and maintain national certifications,” Inspira said in its statement.