Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital reaches tentative deal to avoid another nurses' strike
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Approximately 500 nurses who work at Ascension Saint Joseph Hospital in Joliet have reached a tentative contract agreement, after going on strike three times since last August.
The two sides have been at the bargaining table for over a year. The Illinois Nurses Association on Monday said the two sides began hammering out final details of a contract on Tuesday, passing proposals back and forth through a mediator over the next few days.
On Thursday, the union put forth another offer, and demanded a response from management by the end of the day on Friday in order to avert a joint strike with nurses in Flint, Michigan. The union then filed an official 10-day strike notice.
On Saturday, Ascension provided a counter-offer that the nurses' bargaining team deemed sufficient to bring to a vote.
Full terms of the deal were not released, but the union said the tentative deal would provide additional paid time off for the hospital's most senior nurses, and a lump sum payment for all nurses. Nurses also would only be assigned to work outside of their specialty on a voluntary basis.
Nurses at the hospital had gone on strike three times since last August, asking for higher wages and better staffing.
"There are some significant wins for us in this deal," said union organizer Sarah Hurd. "But ultimately, this choice must be made by the majority of nurses working day in and day out at this hospital. They will decide for themselves democratically whether this is a contract they can work under for the next three years."
The union's rank-and-file membership will review the tentative agreement before voting over the next two weeks.