Dietary workers, janitors and other support personnel at Washington Hospital have authorized a strike, five days before expiration of their contract.
About 300 hospital workers, who are represented by SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, on Wednesday authorized their negotiating committee to issue a strike notice to the hospital if no settlement is reached. Negotiations began in December.
The hospital has not received a strike notice, a spokeswoman said, but talks were continuing.
“We are working hard to negotiate an agreement that both sides can accept in order to continue providing great patient care to our patients and our community, at a time when they need WHS the most,” spokeswoman Stephanie Wagoner said in a prepared statement.
At issue for the union is a “staffing crisis that has devastated the hospital,” said the union, which represents nearly 45,000 nurses and other health care workers statewide, in a prepared release.
Bargaining sessions were scheduled for Friday and Monday. No date has been set for a walkout.
Kris B. Mamula: kmamula@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1699
First Published: January 27, 2022, 6:55 p.m.