Sacred Heart nurses are getting strike training, after mediation with Providence last Friday produced no breakthrough, say nurses' union officials.
Union spokeswoman Ruth Schubert described the main issues as “sick time, paid time off. Also, safe staffing language and language about workplace violence prevention.” She said there was no progress on those issues at last week’s meeting.
She says union members are now getting specific strike training.
“Last week, we started the various strike committees, so we got the first meeting going for those. And we started training for picket lines, for planning headquarters, for child care, and the finance committee and emergency standby committee. There are a lot of committees and people involved in making the strike successful. So we started meeting and getting everyone prepared,” Schubert said.
She says despite little progress in the last few weeks in mediation, the nurses are still committed to negotiations.
“It’s fair to say we will meet with a negotiator even if we go on strike," she said. "It is our goal to get a contract that everyone can feel good about."
Schubert says the union hopes to set up another mediation session for this week.
