A threatened nurses' strike at Jersey Shore University Medical Center was averted late last week as the nurses and hospital administration agreed a new contract. The more than 1,700 unionized nurses at Jersey Shore reached a deal with Hackensack Meridian Health on a new contract that includes what the nurses say are safe staffing ratios, a pay raise and enhanced measures that will reduce violence against nurses in the workplace.
The vote to authorize the strike was near unanimous. According to the nurses' union 1,411 of the 1,700 nurses voted "yes" to go on strike and 65 voted not to strike, according to the nurses' union. The strike would have begun Friday had a deal not been reached.