Offer Being Made To Striking Nurses In Joliet By AMITA Health
A glimmer of hope for nurses on the picket line in Joliet. Our sister station, 1340 AM WJOL, has learned that AMITA Health has sent an offer to the 720 striking nurses from St. Joseph’s Medical Center on Monday. The nurses walked off the job on Saturday, July 4th after contract negotiations failed. The nurses had been working without a contract since early May.
The Illinois Nurse Association’s lead union nurse Pat Meade says AMITA is prepared to spend millions of dollars fighting the nurses’ union but refuses to invest in hiring enough nurses.
AMITA is said to have spent 5-million dollars to bus in nurses from out of state, pay them $65 an hour and put them up at local hotels.
More money, and more staff especially in the COVID unit are the sticking points for the nurses.
According to the INA’s press release, “AMITA’s illegal acts, which include intimidation and threats of termination to prevent nurses from exercising their rights under federal law.” The next bargaining session is slated for Wednesday, July 8th.
