Allegheny Valley Hospital workers reach tentative agreement one week after strike authorization
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Union workers comprised of nurses and other hospital workers at Allegheny Valley Hospital have announced they have reached a tentative agreement with management.
According to SEIU, the union reached the tentative agreement late on Friday night and the union will vote on the contract on Monday.
On August 31, the union workers at Allegheny Valley Hospital voted to authorize a strike after negotiations failed to produce an agreement.
"Nobody wants to strike, but we are ready to stand up for our patients and our professions, if necessary," said Kristi Valasek, emergency department nurse at Allegheny Valley Hospital last week. "There's an urgent need to raise standards for patient care and staff retention across the southwestern Pennsylvania hospitals, and we're prepared to lead the way."
Their strike vote came just a week after unionized nurses at West Penn Hospital had also voted to authorize a strike.
Those nurses at West Penn will be back at the negotiating table on Monday with the union saying they will either vote on a new contract on Wednesday or set a date for a strike.