Nurses at Ascension Saint Joseph go on third strike within a year
JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- Hundreds of Joliet nurses are walking off the job on Thursday for the third time in the past year.
Nurses at Saint Joseph Medical say they are upset Ascension Healthcare implemented a contract their union rejected.
A hospital spokesperson says it gave an offer in December, and the nurses union never countered.
In early January, a labor arbitrator ruled Ascension had taken the steps necessary to hire additional nurses. Thursday's strike started at 6:30 a.m. with a walkout and news conference.
In a statement regarding recent negotiations, the hospital said: "Although we implemented our last, best, and final offer on our RN contract on January 21, 2024, our bargaining team agreed to meet with Illinois Nurses Association (INA) on February 5, 2024, per INA's request. Discussions proceeded throughout much of the day. Unfortunately, INA's wage proposal continues to not be aligned with Joliet market rates, and we remain far apart in this space. Our best and final offer is a mutually beneficial solution that provides our nurses a fair and equitable contract and ensures our community continues to receive access to the quality care they expect from Saint Joseph-Joliet. We know that our nurses and their union representatives share the same goal with all of us at Saint Joseph - Joliet—providing safe, quality healthcare to those we are privileged to serve. We understand the concerns and questions that complex contract negotiations can create for our community and all involved. We urge INA to share a wage proposal with our third-party mediator that appropriately reflects our market. In the meantime, Ascension Saint Joseph - Joliet is fully prepared to remain open and care for our patients during the short-term INA strike."
The nurses and some Joliet leaders will host a town hall Thursday evening to discuss the hospital, saying it's falling apart because of collapsing infrastructure and long wait times.