The tentative agreement between the New Jersey Nurses Union and Kimball Medical Center/Saint Barnabas Behavioral Health Center was ratified by an overwhelming majority at the ratification meeting held Monday, May 7, 2007.   Congratulations to our members at KMC/SBBH for all of their hard work and dedication throughout the arduous process of bargaining a successor agreement. 

A special thanks to the NJNU Bargaining Committee members who dedicated many long hours, (much of it being without pay) to ensuring that every member would not only receive a decent wage increase, as well as improve the working conditions for every member within the bargaining unit. 

Should you have any questions concerning the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, please do not hesitate to either contact your local delegate or click here. 

Many of the nurses at the KMC/SBBH are forced to work without the luxury of a break or lunch during their 12 hour shift due to the chronic short staffing that plagues their facilities.  The current staffing issue leaves nurses unable to take full breaks except briefly for the rest room or to get something that they can eat at the nursing station. 

Management has stated that if a nurse is forced to eat their meals at the nursing station, that it is not considered a lunch and they would therefore be entitled to their "30-minute" pay. 

As a result the following process should be utilized with respects to breaks and/or lunches:

Please be advised that the all NJNU members are working under the terms and conditions of the tentative agreement between SBMC and NJNU on November 3, 2006.  NJNU was extremely hopeful that we would be able to distribute the new contracts to our membership shortly after the ratification of our agreement, to no avail.  NJNU maintains the position that SBMC did not bargain in good faith with respect to the state of the Cash Balance Program and have taken the appropriate measures to protect our membership. 

NJNU will update the membership as to the status as new information develops.  In the meantime, should you require any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact your local delegate or click here.

The NJNU Bargaining Committee successfully negotiated a collective bargaining agreement that addresses staffing, wages, healthcare, and pensions. The highlights of the agreement are as follows:

1. Duration: November 2, 2006 through November 1, 2009.

2. Check-Off: Dues will be deducted weekly for all regular full-time and part-time employees. All per diems will continue to have their dues deducted from the first week in the month in which they have any earnings.

3. Holidays: Any nurse that is required to work a holiday, will be granted the eve of the holiday off. Any night nurse that is required to work the eve of the holiday, will have the actual night of the holiday off.