In our spotlight on Business Report tonight, another nurses strike at a major New Jersey hospital appears imminent.

Union health care workers walked away from the negotiation table Saturday after the leadership failed to come to a contract agreement with their employer, Hackensack Meridian Health, by the deadline at midnight on Friday.

Hundreds of nurses at Hackensack Palisades Medical Center are now discussing strike plans with the union.

As Ted Goldberg reports, the possible walkout comes just as the union was able to secure tentative deals with two other hospitals.

The largest nursing union in New Jersey was ready to go on strike at three hospitals.

That number is down to one after a last minute deals made on Friday.

I'm really thrilled that we were able to reach tentative agreements.

They understand the environment we're in right now in health care.

They understand that the status quo will not suffice, that we need to negotiate enforceable safe staffing ratios.

Debbie White leads health Professionals and Allied Employees, which represents 15,000 health care workers in New Jersey.

She says their biggest ask in new contracts is enforceable safe staffing ratios between workers and their patients.

It's always been safe staffing.

We are focusing on bargaining, safe staffing into our contracts in addition to passing a statewide law with enforceable staffing ratios.

So every patient has the benefit of safe staffing in their hospitals.

Lots of research, so safe staffing ratios work that they save lives.

Tamara Rojo leads the union representing workers at Palisades Medical Center, the lone holdout where the 750 or so workers are now working without a contract.

She spoke about safe staffing during a Zoom last week when the other two hospitals were approaching their deadline to make a deal.

Safe staffing ratios would allow me and my colleagues to provide care that will help our patients have a better outcome.

But no longer will we accept our employer's resistance.

Palisades is owned by Hackensack, Meridian Health, and White says negotiations are slow going.

Hackensack Meridian is a difficult employer.

Hackensack Meridian was willing to spend a lot of money on anti-union efforts so they don't have any more organizing within their facilities.

White was in Trenton today to testify at a hearing hosted by the Senate Labor Committee.

She says Hackensack Meridian has long been a thorn in the side of the union.

Captive audience meetings are a part of a well-orchestrated effort to undermine workers.

Intimidation should never be used to dissuade workers.

There's already an imbalance of power in the workplace.

Workers have the right to unionize, so they may have a voice in negotiating better working conditions.

In response to this story, Hackensack Meridian sent this statement.

With each passing day, our dedicated team members are missing out on the competitive compensation we are providing across the network.

We have provided a comprehensive offer that includes significant increase to shift differentials and on call pay, new weekend differentials and base pay increases in each year of the contracts.

We remain committed to bargaining in good faith with Local 5030.

We want to settle negotiations without further delay or disruption.

The nurses at Palisades say they've taken inspiration from nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center, who made headlines for their strike last summer.

The steelworkers were not going to settle for language unless it included safe staffing ratios, and they were willing to walk the pavement for four months.

Over four months, I believe it was closer to five months in order until they got that that language in their contracts.

White tells me the union will take the week and look over the latest offer from Hackensack, Meridian.

If the offer is no good and the nurses do want to go on strike.

They have to give ten days advance notice to do that.

So if a strike does happen, it won't be a total surprise for the hospital here in North Bergen.

I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight News.

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