It’s been almost three months since the United Steelworkers Union strike started and still no end in sight. It’s more critical than ever to get New Jersey nurses back at their patients’ bedside ahead of the winter months. Already this year COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 700 New Jersey residents and as we approach the holiday season when we know infections spike, our elderly citizens need hospitals fully staffed. 

Research published in October shows Americans older than 65 accounted for 90% of COVID-related deaths and 63% of related hospitalizations. Furthermore, about 80% of the confirmed New Jersey COVID-related deaths involved people aged 65 and older. At 60 Plus, our mission is to advocate for seniors and we strongly believe every senior citizen in New Jersey should consistently have access to the best care possible, despite ongoing issues in the healthcare industry. 

Week after week, the United Steelworkers Union has turned down offers from RWJUH that met the nurses’ initial demands and the vast majority of their current ones. These offers include increased pay and staffing levels, despite RWJUH maintaining one of the best patient-to-nurse ratios in the state. We hope that the Union can put aside its greed once and for all and do what’s best for patients, lives depend on it.