Hundreds Of Nurses Will Strike In South Jersey

MOUNT HOLLY, NJ — Nearly 850 nurses handed in a strike notice on Thursday to Virtua Health after they were unable to agree on a new contract after two months of negotiations, the nurses' union said.

The scheduled "Unfair Labor Practice" demonstration is in response to issues of staffing, wages, and shifts that have been canceled.

The strike, after an unsuccessful last 21 hours of bargaining on Wednesday, is set to begin at 7 a.m. on June 16 at Virtua Memorial Hospital in Mount Holly.

"Virtua seems to have other plans for their money that do not include wages, safe staffing on all units, and health and safety of nurses," said Debbie White, RN, and president of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) union.

Nearly 100 percent of the local chapter of the HPAE, the state's largest healthcare union, had voted to approve the strike if they were unable to agree on new terms.

In response to the strike notice, Virtua said they are "disappointed" and that they have been bargaining "in good faith" for more than two months.

"Our priority is, first, the welfare and safety of our patients," Virtua spokesperson Daniel Moise said in a statement to Patch. "Virtua Mount Holly will remain open, and we will continue to provide excellent, safe, high-quality care to our community throughout this time."

Virtua has also developed a strike contingency plan, Moise said, involving a multidisciplinary team.

"Our focus is also on reaching a fair contract for our nurses," he added. "We remain committed to negotiating in good faith with HPAE to reach a tentative agreement on a new labor contract and to avoid any unnecessary disruption."

Along with better pay, a major issue that was left on the bargaining table was the inclusion of "Enforceable Safe Staffing" ratios.

Virtua has resisted the mandates under an environment of nationwide staffing shortages, the need for greater operational flexibility, and financial challenges associated with meeting these system-wide requirements.

Healthcare systems, like Virtua, also like to allocate staff dynamically based on patient needs rather than being held to legal ratios.

More than 6,500 "Unsafe Staffing" complaints have been filed by members, according to the union.

"We know nurses will not stand for the status quo anymore, nor should they," added White. "No nurse wants to strike. We prefer to be at the bedside caring for patients."

The HPAE said staff are "burned out and stressed" with conditions that are "simply unacceptable" in the hospital.

"When nurses fight for better work environments, patients get better care. What benefits nurses, benefits patients," said White.

New Jersey lawmakers have also taken action and introduced a bill, the "Patient Protection and Safe Staffing Act," that was pre-filed for introduction into the 2026 Assembly.

Under the act, minimum ratios, such as one registered professional nurse for every four patients on a medical/surgical unit, are outlined.

Virtua Health is based in Marlton and operates five hospitals, two satellite emergency departments, 42 ambulatory surgery centers, and more than 400 other sites.

In New Jersey, the HPAE and its bargaining team advocate for the fair treatment of more than 15,000 nurses and other healthcare professionals.

Should an agreement be reached or the strike otherwise paused, the union is able to withdraw its notice before the demonstration begins on June 16.

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