The nurses’ strike at Lower Bucks Hospital kicked off on Friday and drew a large group of picketers.
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Members of the 136-person strong Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital went on strike on Friday amid a contract dispute with Prime Healthcare, the owner of the Bristol Township hospital.
The hospital will remain open during the strike.
The union nurses will be off the job until early next Wednesday morning, according to the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP), with which the Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital is affiliated.
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The nurses are calling for improved staffing levels for the hospital, which they say will improve working conditions for nurses and the safety of patients. The nurses are also calling for better pay and improved healthcare, as Prime Healthcare’s current health insurance limits where staff can go for their own medical needs.
“A strike is always a last resort, but unsafe staffing and cessation of critical services are extremely serious issues – issues that cannot wait,” ICU nurse and co-president of the Nurses Association of Lower Bucks Hospital Shirley Crowell, a 32-year veteran of the facility. “Prime has refused to prioritize patient care, and that is our line in the sand.”
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The Lower Bucks Hospital nurses were joined on strike by the nurses from Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton, Montgomery County.
Nurses from the Montgomery County hospital, which is also owned by Prime Healthcare, were part of the picket line on Friday in Bristol Township.
The nurses, who had 97 percent of their members vote to strike, were angered this week when they learned for-profit, California-based Prime Healthcare is reported to be looking to sell Lower Bucks Hospital and the three others in the area.
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Members of the union, who have continued to meet with Prime Healthcare management, have said there was no indication given to the nurses at any point that the facilities were up for sale.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers were outside the hospital Friday to support the nurses in their strike. Representatives from Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s office were there, along with State Sen. Frank Farry, State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, State Rep. Tina Davis, State Rep. Joe Hogan, the three Bucks County Commissioners, and other elected officials.
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Michelle Aliprantis, the spokesperson of the hospital, said Prime Healthcare has delivered proposals to the union, but the facility has staffed up with temporary nurses and staff who have crossed the picket line.
“It is disappointing that despite progress being made, the union has walked away from negotiations and has chosen to strike, but that will not impact our commitment to providing quality patient care to our communities throughout the holidays and always,” she said.
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Aliprantis added: “Some staff made the decision to put patients first by crossing the picket line. We value all of our employees and their dedication to caring for our community, and we are committed to ensuring a workplace that honors their work and continues to provide lifesaving care for the most vulnerable.”
Striking nurses picketed with signs using a Christmas theme, including ones calling Prime Healthcare a “Grinch” and stating that they were on the “naughty list.” A large inflatable Grinch was set up on the lawn of the hospital by the union.
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