Statement from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital on Strike by United Steel Workers 4-200

Wendy Gottsegen, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital spokesperson:

“We are deeply disappointed that the Union has decided to take this extreme action. It did not and should not have come to this. This is not a strike of necessity and could have been avoided had the Union not been so intent on this outcome. No one benefits from a strike, least of all, our nurses.

“Throughout this process, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has continued to negotiate in good faith with United Steel Workers 4-200, the union representing our nurses. We have remained open to talking with the goal of averting a strike and reaching a fair and equitable resolution.

“RWJUH has done everything it could to avert a strike. We twice accepted the Union’s demands. We offered to go to arbitration or submit to a board of inquiry, and the Union rejected both. Even after we extended a new offer on Wednesday that would have further addressed their staffing concerns, it was met with silence. We are awaiting a response from the Union and are questioning why we are in this position instead of at the table, negotiating.

“RWJUH is already among the highest staffed hospitals in the state and our nurses are currently the highest paid in New Jersey, based on available public data. Our offers would have increased both.

“Our top priority is to our patients. We remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering the highest-quality care in the safest environment. We want to reassure our patients, their families, and our community that we continue to care for our patients without interruption. We remain fully open and continue to deliver the high-quality care they deserve.

“We urge the Union to respond to our latest offer and continue good faith negotiations so we can end this strike.”

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) New Brunswick, an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, is a 640-bed academic medical center that is New Jersey’s largest academic medical center through its deep partnership with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. RWJUH is the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, and other Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and women’s and children’s care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org).  A Level 1 Trauma Center and the first designated Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness. Learn more at www.rwjbh.org/newbrunswick

RWJUH has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety, including the prestigious Magnet® Recognition for Nursing Excellence and being named to Newsweek’s 2022 list of Best Maternity Care Hospitals. The RWJUH Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center has been recognized by The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association as meeting The Joint Commission’s standards for Disease-Specific Care Comprehensive Stroke Center Advanced Certification. RWJUH has also earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Disease-Specific Care Certification for Spine Surgery; The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Bariatric Services; and The Joint Commission Gold Seal Certification for Hip and Knee Replacement services. The Joint Commission also awarded RWJUH a Gold Seal Certification as well as an Advanced Certification in Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Implantation.

For more Information visit us online at www.rwjbh.org/newbrunswick