The nurses strike at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital entered day four on Aug. 7 with no immediate end in sight.

Last week, following a continued impasse in negotiations, United Steelworkers (USW) Local 4-200, the union representing more than 1,700 nurses at RWJUH in New Brunswick, officially went on strike – which continued through the weekend.

The union says it is about more than just money – calling on hospital management to address concerns such as staffing.

“We need enough nurses on each shift, on each floor, so we can devote more time to each patient and keep ourselves safe on the job,” said Local 4-200 President Judy Danella in a statement on Aug. 4 when the strike began. “We are deeply grateful for the community that supported us as we worked through the pandemic and for all those who are with us now as management is forcing us to make the painful decision to go on strike.”

In a statement released Aug. 7, Wendy Gottsegen, RWJUH spokesperson, said that the hospital remains open, operational and fully staffed.

“Thanks to the support of our highly skilled, highly trained, and professional replacement nurses, staffing levels throughout the hospital have been appropriately maintained across all units and all shifts when considering both patient volume and acuity,” said Gottsegen. “The transition to replacement nursing staff could not have been more successful and seamless and their shared commitment to support the hospital, our patients, and our communities is greatly appreciated.”

RWJUH said it is committed to reaching a fair and equitable resolution with the striking nurses.

“We did everything we could to avert a strike, including twice accepting the union’s demands, offering to increase nurses’ pay and staffing, to go to arbitration or submit to a board of inquiry that were rejected, and even extending a new offer last Wednesday to further address their staffing concerns that was met with silence,” Gottsegen continued. “We are deeply disappointed that United Steel Workers 4-200, the union representing our nurses, decided to take this extreme action. No one benefits from a strike, least of all, our nurses. We have spoken to the union about establishing a meeting time to join us at the table and continue negotiating in good faith. No such meeting has been set.”

The union, though, said it remains ready to continue bargaining and that it has invited management to join them at the table.

“The USW continues to urge RWJ management to return to the table and bargain a fair contract that addresses nurses’ urgent concerns around safe staffing. As management now hires strike breakers, our reports indicate that it’s following staffing guidelines union members have long urged, demonstrating it understands the essential nature of staffing,” USW District 4 Director Dave Wasiura told NJBIZ in a statement. “Now, we’re asking RWJ to extend those same safeguards to its loyal nurses who remain, as ever, united in their commitment to the highest standards of patient care.”

“Nursing is more than a job for most of us,” said Danella on Friday. “It’s a mission. Our top priority is negotiating a fair contract so we can return to patient care.”

The most recent contract between the two sides expired on June 30. That was then extended through July 21, but things remained at an impasse, and on July 24, workers notified hospital management of their intent to strike, which began Aug. 4.