The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals said Wednesday night that 1,075 of the 1,500 members took part in three ratification votes during the day and 97 percent were in favor of the pact with Temple University Hospital.
U.S. Representative Bob Brady helped broker the deal. Brady told Action News, "We had a meeting today - this morning - and finished out the final details. And they just signed it so it's over."
Nurses and other staff went on strike March 31 in a dispute over wages, benefits and work rules. Their contract expired Sept. 30. Temple had hired about 850 temporary employees to replace the striking workers.
"We agreed on health care, wages, tuition and the most important thing is patient safety and the voice for our patients," said Maureen May, a registered nurse at Temple Hospital.
Congressman Brady explains, "The hardest part was we had to get them talking. They have to keep talking. And that's the little part I like to play to just try to get them back at the table. And the last four five days were all nighters, crunch time, and they got it done."
"They accomplished what they wanted to accomplish here and we're thrilled to have a contract and to be able to go back and take care of our patients," said May.
