PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — About 2,600 nurses and technicians at Temple Health are set for a five-day strike starting on Oct. 6 if they can’t negotiate a contract with hospital leaders.
“We did not want to give the strike notice today; Temple forced us to,” said Carlos Aviles, who is the president of Temple University Allied Health Professionals.
The two unions, part of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP), presented the 10-day strike notice on Wednesday.
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“We do a lot with a little every day, but enough is enough. We’ve been bargaining for safety. We’ve been bargaining for a contract that’s going to retain people here,” said Aviles.
Aviles said they’re demanding better benefits, more staffing for the increased workload and improved safety measures due to workplace violence from the community.
“It’s hard enough to come in here and save lives, and do what we have to do on the frontline,” said Aviles. “It’s another thing to have to have your personal life in danger just walking to and from the hospital.”
Temple Health said in a statement, “We are disappointed but not surprised that PASNAP has provided a 10-day strike notice. Whether PASNAP strikes or not, we have contingency plans in place to continue to provide our patients and community with uninterrupted, safe, high-quality care.”
The health system adds that these contingency plans have cost more than $1 million. They said next week, they’ll have to pay another $5 million for staffing, which is money that could have gone to employees or equipment.
But Aviles said union members are not backing down until members get what they deserve.
“There used to be a sign out front of Temple that called us heroes, and it’s hypocrisy because none of us feel like heroes. We feel disrespected, and we feel like we’re forgotten yet again,” said Aviles.
Both sides hope to reach an agreement to avoid a strike. They’re back at the bargaining table on Friday night.
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