BMC unions agreed to postpone strike

Ann Twomey, president of the Health Professional and Allied Employees Union, said a proposed one-day strike for June 1 at Bayonne Medical Center will be put off until June 6 to honor requests from Rep. Albio Sires and Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith for a cooling off period.

"Our union negotiating committee agreed to extend our contract and strike deadline to June 6,” she said. “We welcome the opportunity to extend negotiations and avoid a disruption in our ability to provide patient care to ou

r community. It is unfortunate, however, that the hospital is continuing its attempts to interfere with the rights of nurses and health care workers with lock out threats and arbitrary deadlines prior to June 6. We will continue to bargain in hopes of reaching a fair settlement that protects our patients and the workforce."

BMC l had set a deadline of midnight on May 27 for negations to cease and had planned to hire replacement workers in the event of a strike. The Medical Center was prepared to lock out all unionized employees if there was a strike.

Smith, Sires and Sires’ chief of staff, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner, feverishly worked the phones in an attempt to head off a confrontation. The trio were in contact with NJ Labor Commissioner20David Socolow who indicated that lockouts had no place in labor negotiations in New Jersey. Commissioner Socolow added his voice to those calling for calm and reason.

Smith had hoped for at least a one week cooling off period but hospital management would only agree to four days.

“Hopefully, they will keep talking and avoid a job action,” said Smith, “they have made progress since we encouraged both sides to talk though the holiday weekend and now that Congressman Sires and Commissioner Socolow are involved hopefully an agreement will be reached.”

Smith said he felt a lock-out was an unnecessary tactic that went beyond protocol. “I would have to consider a lock out of unionized employees as a hostile act upon our community,” Smith said.