BUTLER, Pa. —Techs at Butler Memorial Hospital are continuing to fight for fair wages after ten months of stalled contract negotiations and a canceled bargaining session with the hospital’s owner, Independence Health System.
The union representing 235 hospital techs said the bargaining session scheduled for today was canceled, though hospital leadership offered a wage proposal this morning.
Techs say they are continuing to fight for safe staffing and fair wages.
“We want stability. We want a hospital that can recruit and retain the staff needed to provide safe care and quality care. Independence Health System has a choice. They can use the time before the strike deadline to bargain in good faith and reach an agreement or they can continue to drag on this process,” the union said.
In a statement to Pittsburgh’s Action News 4, hospital leaders said they canceled today’s bargaining meeting to focus on a contingency plan in the event of a strike. They described the union’s notice as a “pressure campaign” but said they remain committed to negotiating in good faith.
FULL STATEMENT:
After receiving PASNAP’s ten‑day strike notice, Butler Memorial Hospital postponed bargaining to focus on implementing contingency staffing and operational plans to protect uninterrupted patient care in the event of a strike.
The public tactics being employed by PASNAP are part of a well‑known union pressure campaign and do not accurately reflect the meaningful progress made at the bargaining table. Staged press events and public theatrics may generate headlines, but they do not move negotiations forward or improve patient care.
Butler Memorial Hospital remains ready to continue bargaining in good faith to reach an agreement that avoids a work stoppage and serves the best interests of our patients, employees and the community.
