Another Nurse Strike At St. Joe's: Details Revealed

JOLIET, IL — Sarah Hurd of the Illinois Nurses Association issued a press release this week announcing that the 500 union nurses of St. Joe's Nurses Association have put in the mandatory 10-day notice to strike on Feb. 8-9.

According to Hurd's press release:

Last year, Ascension Healthcare faced a wave of strikes and unionization efforts stretching from Texas to Michigan to Maryland, all protesting the employer’s chronic understaffing, below market wages and regular violations of federal labor law. Nurses at Ascension St. Joseph in Joliet went on strike twice as part of that wave and have now called for a third ULP strike after the company unilaterally implemented an offer that nurses resoundingly rejected in December.

The company implemented its supposed “last, best and final” offer on Jan. 21, after claiming that it is at an impasse with the union. The Illinois Nurses Association, which represents the bargaining unit nurses, has clarified that the parties cannot be at impasse.

According to Hurd:

The union nurses overwhelmingly rejected Ascension’s last offer for several reasons, including the company’s insistence on certain non-monetary terms and conditions of employment which would pose serious health and safety risks to both nurses and patients.

The nurses have also been moved to strike by mounting chaos and divestment at the hospital. Patients have reported flooding, infestations of cockroaches and ceilings caving in.

“I’m resentful about the way Ascension has managed the hospital and those of us who work there,” veteran nurse Sue Pellegrini said. “They view everything through the lens of cutting costs as if those cuts don’t hurt people.”

The St. Joe’s Nurses will be hosting a community town hall event on February 6th at the downtown library at 150 N Ottawa St. in Joliet.

Patients and residents are encouraged to come talk about their experiences and their hopes for getting the hospital back on track. Community members are also encouraged to stop by the picket line on the 8th and 9th anytime between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., according to Hurd.