by
Heather Mayer, DOTmed News Reporter | May 19, 2010
But Schriner said that a one-day strike is unrealistic.
"A one-day strike, any hospital knows, that it's not one day," she said. "They may say they strike one day, but nurses wouldn't return to work [after one day]."
If the hospitals have to implement a contingency plan as a result of a strike, there are "contract obligations to any temporary nurses we bring in," Schriner explained.
Nurses would return to work following the contingency plan, which could last at least several days, she said.
Hospitals are already preparing for a strike, ready to call in replacement nurses from all over the country. According to one report, a California agency is recruiting nurses for a potential strike in Minnesota at up to $4,770 a week, which is three times the average pay of a full-time hospital nurse.
"If hospitals really are willing to force nurses out on strike, they'll spend tens of millions of dollars on replacement nurses who sign five- to seven-day contracts only," Nemo said.
Due to legal restrictions, the union must alert the hospitals before going on strike, to allow facilities to prepare, he said. If the nurses vote in favor of a strike, they must wait at least 10 days to allow the hospitals to come to the negotiation table once more.
"There are no winners in a strike," Nemo said.
Schriner said "negotiation is always, always on the table," and the hospitals would continue to negotiate up until a scheduled strike. "We can negotiate at any time," she said.
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