By Sean Kitchen
Temple University Hospital nurses, lab technicians, and health care professionals ratified a three-year contract and avoided the first strike in 15 years
Thousands of nurses, lab technicians, and health care professionals at Temple University Hospital, Temple Women and Families, and Jeanes Hospital avoided a strike this week after the unions representing them ratified a new three-year contract with the hospital system on Friday.
Over 1,600 nurses and 1,000 lab technicians at the three hospitals are represented by the Temple University Hospital Nurses Association (TUHNA) and the Temple University Hospital Allied Health Professionals (TUHAHP), and they voted in favor of the new contract with close to 90% of members supporting it.
The unions are affiliated with the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP), which represents 11,000 nurses and health care professionals across the Philadelphia area.
“This contract campaign was a testament to our commitment to our patients, to each other, to our institution, and to bringing care to North Philadelphia,” Marty Harrison, a registered nurse and President of TUHNA, said in a statement. “We are here to provide high quality health care to our patients – people whom the rest of the world would rather just disappear.”
Last month, over 1,000 nurses and health care professionals held an informational picket and threatened to strike over workplace safety issues, concerns over safe staffing ratios, and a demand for higher pay.
The nurses and lab technicians blocked all of the cuts Temple University Hospital sought during contract negotiations while securing a 3.25% raise over the first two years of the contract and a 3% raise in its final year. The contract also includes step increases; periodic pay increases based on experience and seniority for the nurses and lab technicians.
In total, the nurses and lab techs will see a wage increase of between 9% and 27% over the three-year contract. Additionally, full-time staff received a $1,000 ratification bonus and part-time staff received a $500 ratification bonus.
Temple University Hospital has also agreed to implement safety measures that prevent workplace violence directed towards nurses and health care professionals.
An August 2025 survey found that 67% of Temple University Hospital nurses have experienced workplace violence, while 84% said they have witnessed workplace violence. This includes threats, physical assault, sexual harassment, fluid exposure, and dealing with weapons or dangerous objects like used needles or verbal harassment.
The hospital has agreed to install metal detectors at Temple Women and Families Hospital within 120 days and ensure all hospital entrances, units, and parking areas are monitored.
“These contracts are wins for every nurse, tech, and healthcare professional at Temple — and for every patient who comes through our doors,”
PASNAP President Maureen May, RN, longtime Temple University Hospital Mother & Baby Nurse, said in a statement.
“The central issues in our bargaining campaign weren’t just about us — they’re about the safety and dignity of our patients. Today, Temple leadership heard us loud and clear.”
