Hospital Center Returns To Table

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

With an imminent 1-day strike by their nurses looming next week, the Washington Hospital Center (WHC) yesterday agreed to return to the bargaining table with the National Nurses United (NNU). WHC also agreed to recognize NNU as the collective bargaining representative of the hospital’s registered nurses and the NNU canceled its one-day strike originally scheduled for Wednesday, November 24th. “We are very pleased that Washington Hospital Center has recognized the will of the nurses to be represented by NNU and to return to the bargaining table,” said Jean Keppler, RN, an emergency department nurse at the hospital.  “The nurses are united and resolved to secure a new collective bargaining agreement that respects our hard work and that allows for optimal, high quality patient care.” Bargaining will resume on November 29 under the auspices of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and NNU agreed not to strike for the next 90 days.
- photo: Hundreds of WHC nurses, together with community leaders, marched to the offices of hospital management on November 1; photo by Chris Garlock