Support Striking RWJ Nurses, East Brunswick Residents Urge Council

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital nurses’ strike has now entered its fifth month. Nearly 1,700 nurses walked off their jobs in August demanding increased staffing and better pay.

On Monday, nurses and residents from East Brunswick attended the Council meeting and urged council members to support the striking nurses through a resolution.

The residents urged Council to pass a resolution in support of Assembly Bill A4536 and Senate Bill S304, which establishes minimum registered professional nurse staffing standards for hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities and certain DHS facilities.

“Staffing standards is appropriate and enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios that are evidence-based, which keep nurses and patients safe,” said one resident who is a striking nurse at RWJ.

“Robert Johnson safe staffing ratios is just a buzzword, hospitals should not be able to absolve themselves of their responsibilities while getting paid for substandard care.”

Nurse and East Brunswick resident Christian Kane told Council that RWJ has spent over $150 million on strike-breakers, instead of agreeing to minimum staffing ratios.

“We are still seeking a fair contract that ensures safe and sustainable conditions that we as nurses need to achieve the high quality care our communities deserve,” Kane said.

“While Robert Wood Johnson continues to choose profits over patients, we as members of this community are here to request that you as leaders here in East Brunswick, pass a resolution in support of Bill S304, which would establish minimum staffing standards for nurses in New Jersey.”

Since the strike, RWJ says they have been forced to hired 800 fill-in nurses to keep the hospital fully staffed, and the total cost for replacement staff is now up to $72.6 million.

Individual pay for replacement nurses is typically higher than base pay for regular hospital nurse staff.

Another resident who is not a healthcare worker said that during his visits to the hospital, it was clear the nurses were “overstressed” and had to juggle various duties.

“I don't know how many of you remember during the COVID situation, these same nurses were risking their lives. They were risking their lives for us as New Brunswick and East Brunswick and South Brunswick and North Brunswick to care for us,” the resident told Council.

“And the idea that the hospital is willing to just peel off bills as long as it takes to destroy the strike of these people who are risking their lives for us, is just appalling.”

In response to their call for support, Council President Kevin McEvoy requested a nurse's representative to leave their name and number.

“I will need to need to see the bill, and I will need to share this bill with my fellow colleagues. I will need someone, a representative, from one of you to give me your name, your address your phone number, so that I can contact you,” McEvoy said.

“Transparency is the guideline to East Brunswick governance.”

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