Statement from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital on United Steel Workers 4-200 Nursing Union Labor Negotiations

Wendy Gottsegen, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital spokesperson:

“We are deeply disappointed that United Steel Workers 4-200, the union representing our nurses, voted today to prolong their strike indefinitely.

“RWJUH provided the union with two, separate options for ending the strike — either accepting the hospital’s offer from Aug. 2 that would have ensured the state’s highest staffing standards and nurse compensation or agreeing to enter binding arbitration. The union rejected both.

“It is clear by today’s action that the union does not share in our commitment to reaching a resolution that ends this strike immediately and prioritizing the wellbeing and livelihood of their nurses and families.

“A temporary restraining order was entered against USW 4-200 to bar them from blocking entrances and exits to parking decks and other obstructive behaviors designed to disrupt care. The issue is not about noise or restricting a peaceful demonstration, which we fully support. The judge issued the order in response to the increasingly aggressive activities that began last week. This order is needed to prevent injury or worse from the increasingly dangerous activities of the picketers.

“RWJUH did everything it could to avoid a strike and urges the union to work with us to reach a resolution. This strike cannot go on forever.”

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