Statement From NJNU President Maria Refinski:

On March 18, 2008 Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, New Jersey, laid off seven (7) Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN's) and three Registered Nurses (RN's). The three (3) RN’s were able to fill three vacancies in the facility, which resulted in preserving their jobs.                                

The LPN’s were not as fortunate and did not have the same opportunity of vacant positions. Not only were they laid off but the Union is disputing the hospital’s interpretation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in the manner in which they did so. Management feels they could lay the LPN’s off by the area they work or what they are defining as "classification" and not by seniority in the facility. Therefore an LPN hired in 1979 was laid off but an LPN hired in 1994 remains employed.                                             

The New Jersey Nurses Union, that represents the LPN’s and RNs at St. Barnabas Medical Center does not agree with any of our members being laid off, but if the employer chooses to do so, we must demand that it be done in accordance with CBA. Class action grievances have been filed for both the LPN’s and RN’s. An expedited arbitration has been filed for the LPN’s.

Our members came to work on March 18th and 19th, took their assignments on their respective units, were then called to Human Resources, laid off, and escorted off the premises by management or security immediately. They were not even allowed to say goodbye to their colleagues. The last LPN was hired in 1994 and the most senior LPN was hired in 1979.