Marathon Talks Yield Tentative Agreement With North Adams Regional Hospital Nurses

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Sep 02, 2010, 12:30 ET

With Strike Averted – Tonight's 5 p.m. Pre-Strike Rally is Now a Celebration

NORTH ADAMS, Mass., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Marathon negotiations over the last two days have lead to a tentative agreement this morning between the Massachusetts Nurses Association bargaining unit and the North Adams Regional Hospital. Due to the tentative settlement the strike scheduled for September 3 has been averted.

Negotiations over the contract between the 102 registered nurses and the hospital have been going on since January. The primary outstanding issues had been the hospital's concessionary proposals that the nurses believe would have been disastrous for both the quality of patient care and the quality of their lives.

"We are satisfied and relieved that we were able to work out a tentative settlement that serves the needs of our patients and our members," said bargaining unit Chair, Ruth O'Hearn RN. "We want to thank the community for the out pouring of support we have received. Everywhere we went our neighbors, our friends and our patients offered us their support. This positive settlement never would have been possible without the community's backing. It is our hope that after these contentious negotiations we will be able to work with the hospital as they go through their difficult financial problems and possible affiliation with Berkshire Medical Center."

The nurses will schedule a ratification vote in the near future. The pre-strike rally scheduled for later today, has now become a celebration.

CELEBRATE THE NURSES VICTORY

5 p.m. September 2, 2010

St. Elizabeth's Parish Center

Corner of Holden ST and St. Anthony's Dr.

North Adams, MA

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest professional health care organization and the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association