Nurses Picket At Lower Bucks Hospital In Bristol

BRISTOL, PA — Nurses at Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol picketed on Thursday, calling for the hospital's owner to improve working conditions and staffing levels.

The picket was one of two in Bucks County targeting California-based Prime Healthcare. The other was at Suburban Hospital in Norristown. More than 200 nurses and others took part in the two pickets.

The nurses are in the middle of negotiating a new contract with Prime Healthcare. Thursday's action was an informational picket, not a strike, and the hospitals were fully staffed at all times.

"As the only hospital in Bristol Township, Lower Bucks is an essential care provider for the community," said Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital President Shirley Crowell. "Our working conditions are our patients' healing conditions. We need nurses to be able to keep this hospital running. It's time for Prime to honor patients and caregivers by agreeing to contractually mandated care standards in their contracts."

Crowell's group is part of the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals union. Their previous deal with Prime ran out in November.

Prime Healthcare is a privately owned company with 60 hospitals in 14 states.

"We are committed to bargaining in good faith with PASNAP leadership to reach an agreement in the best interests of our hospital, our employees, and most importantly, those whom we serve," Michelle Aliprantis, a spokeswoman for Lower Bucks Hospital, said Thursday.

"Decisions aren’t made on the sidewalk with a bullhorn, but at the bargaining table. We have invited PASNAP back for additional bargaining sessions this month, but unfortunately, the union has decided to picket."

At the Bristol picket, nurses were joined by Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, state Sen. Steve Santarsiero and state Rep. Tina Davis.