Stewards fulfill the most important job in JNESO. They are the union’s eyes and ears on the ground. They support their colleagues and fellow members to make sure the contract is followed and everyone is free to do their job without distraction. The job doesn’t require a lot of work or a lot of time, [...]

It was a normal – almost routine – shift for Justine (her name has been changed to protect anonymity), an ER nurse with nearly two decades experience at her New Jersey hospital. She had a full load of patients, but all were manageable. One had come in complaining of a fever, but prior temperature assessments [...]

On May 22, 2010, several JNESO members and staffed joined 35,000 other nurses, teachers, police officers and others for a massive rally in Trenton protesting the severe cuts in state services championed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. The New Jersey AFL-CIO helped organize the “Stand Up” rally — which was the largest in Trenton [...]

In the weeks following the devastating January 12 earthquake in Haiti, JNESO members, individually and through their Locals joined people throughout the world donating funds to relief organizations to help the wounded and displaced. Pocono RN Jill Price, having previously gone on a medical relief mission to Haiti through the Gaskov Clerge Foundation, returned with [...]

St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic made history in March by becoming the first hospital in New Jersey ever to successfully emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It did so through the hard work and sacrifice of the hospital’s employees, including 500 JNESO-represented nurses and technical employees, impressive community involvement, a strong court-ordered restructuring plan, and new [...]

Going into contract negotiations this winter, members at Meadow View Respiratory Care knew there would be changes. For starters, Williamstown, NJ was facing many of the same economic problems plaguing the entire state of New Jersey. Also, the facility had a new owner since the last contract was negotiated. Revera Inc., a Canadian company that [...]

By Jeannette Gabriel JNESO Director of Policy Chris Christie, New Jersey’s newly elected Republican Governor, has swept into office making cutbacks to address what he calls a “fiscal state of emergency.” How these budget cuts will affect the hospital industry still remains to be seen. His restrictions to medical care access through FamilyCare are expected [...]

With the passage of President Obama’s health care reform bill, we’ll soon see sweeping changes in how Americans get and pay for health care. As providers, employees and individuals, JNESO members will be uniquely affected by almost every aspect of this law. By the time the bill is fully implemented in 2018, insurance coverage will [...]

On Monday, Feb. 22, the New Jersey Senate passed several bills addressing the nearly $35 billion hole in the state pension. With benefit cuts, exclusion of part-time workers from the pension and an increase in health care costs for teachers, once again New Jersey’s public employees are being asked to shoulder the burden of a [...]