An Indiana County hospital was open Monday, despite a one-day walkout by unionized registered nurses.
Temporary medical staff was filling in during the first nurses’ strike in the 104-year history of Indiana Regional Medical Center while picket lines were set up, with all scheduled appointments and surgeries going on as planned, the hospital said. About 350 nurses are members of the Indiana Registered Nurses Association, which is represented by the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
The next bargaining session was scheduled for Thursday.
Contract talks stalled over wages, new paid leave practices, and employee contributions to health care benefits, PSEA spokeswoman Annie Briscoe said. Under the hospital’s proposal, some union members could see their contributions for health care coverage increase 25 percent to 30 percent.
“That makes it difficult for our nurses to provide for their families,” Ms. Briscoe said.
Nurses union president Katherine Wolfe was unavailable for comment.
The 164-bed hospital issued its final contract offer Nov. 19, which included a 6 percent wage increase over three years and some increases in health care premium costs to employees. The wage increase would have increased the average nurse’s hourly wage to $34.06 from $32.10.
“Given the cost and acrimony a strike creates, nobody wins,” hospital chief growth officer Mark Richards said in a prepared statement.
The hospital faced a tough choice in whether to hire temporary staff, said hospital board vice chair Nathan Kovalchick. The hospital will deduct the unbudgeted expense from its last contract offer.
“At a most difficult time in the history of IRMC, the union leaders led their members to a strike that essentially left us with two choices — close the hospital or figure out a way to continue operating for the community we serve,” he said in a prepared statement. “Our board remain focused on upholding IRMC’s mission to provide the highest quality health care every day.”
Kris B. Mamula: kmamula@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1699
This story was updated to include comments from PSEA spokeswoman Annie Briscoe.
First Published: November 26, 2018, 1:52 p.m.
