HPAE Nurses Ratify New Contract giving Patients Access to a Virtua Health Hospital with Safe Nurse-to-Patient Ratios
Now every NJ Hospital with HPAE Nurses has enforceable safe staffing in their union contract
EMERSON — HPAE Local 5105 Registered Nurses at Virtua-Mount Holly Hospital have ratified a new three-year contract with Virtua Health that includes enforceable safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, better pay, and enhanced workplace violence prevention measures. The ratification vote count was 578 yes votes to 75 no votes, which means that nearly 85% of Local 5105 membership voted and 89% voted in favor of the new contract.
HPAE Local 5105 President Sheryl Mount, RN, congratulated nurses who stood together in their demand for a contract with safe staffing ratios and workplace improvements that will help to recruit and retain nursing staff to provide excellent patient care.
“We won this strong enforceable staffing language because our members were engaged and ready to fight for what is best for patients,” Mount said. “We know that safe staffing at Virtua Memorial will benefit the patients we care for in Burlington County.”
HPAE President Debbie White, RN, said the safe staffing language negotiated will also allow the hospital to recruit and retain current staff and attract new nurses to Virtua Memorial Hospital.
“Nurses have been choosing to leave hospitals due to stressful and unsafe working conditions, including poor staffing. This contract gives Virtua a platform to recruit new nurses and retain the nurses they have. HPAE nurses are not willing to tolerate the status quo anymore so we are proud that we have won strong language to ensure nurses can care for their patients the way they were trained,” concluded White.
In this historic contract HPAE Local 5105 achieved:
- Enforceable Staffing Ratios that will go into effect on January 3, 2027:
- Med/Surg – 1:5
- Critical Care – 1:2
- Progressive Care Unit (Step Down)– 1:4
- Behavioral Health – 1:6
- Expedited arbitration process to hold management accountable
- Additional Staff and resources in the Emergency Department and Maternal Child Health units.
- A Clinical Support Nurse in the Emergency Department and Maternal Child Health to assist staff with the clinical needs of the department.
HPAE Nurses now have enforceable safe staffing ratios in every contract with NJ hospitals, including other south jersey hospitals, Cooper University Health Care and Inspira Health. “Our work is not finished. We will continue to advocate for the passage of the Patient Protection and Safe Staffing Act to ensure that every hospital has safe staffing protections,” added Debbie White.
Click here to review a list of current HPAE contracts’ staffing ratios.
In addition, to safe staffing this contract includes wage increases averaging approximately 16.5% between now and June 2028, as well as improved Safety and Security throughout the hospital.
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HPAE is the largest union of registered nurses and health care professionals in New Jersey. Since its founding by Englewood Hospital nurses in 1974, HPAE has expanded across the state and into Southeastern Pennsylvania representing more than 15,000 nurses, social workers, therapists, technicians, medical researchers, and other health care professionals in hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, blood banks, and university research facilities. HPAE is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.
