Nurses' social media posts hit a nerve with their employer

The registered nurses at Jersey Shore Medical Center and Southern Ocean Medical Center in New Jersey have a new collective bargaining agreement with Meridian Health—but it didn't come without a fight. One major sticking point in the quest for a new contract was improved staffing, and the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) locals used several union activities to press for their request, including leafleting the community, posting a billboard and using social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.

It was the latter, the use of social media, that got the attention of Meridian Health. During the final weeks of contract negotiations, the nurses posted pictures that showed them holding signs with messages like “Float Boats, Not Nurses” and “Nurses Keep Patients Safe” as well as other positive notes of support for their bargaining committee, which covered topics such as staffing concerns, health coverage and workplace rights. Despite their positivity, the posts didn't go over well with Meridian administrators who told the nurses they had to take down their posts or face discipline because the posts violated Meridian’s social media policy. When HPAE requested a copy of the employer’s social media policy, the union realized it was filled with broad language that violated the nurses' rights; HPAE then filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

In the meantime, in addition to leafleting and social media postings, negotiations continued until an agreement was reached and ratified by the nurses on Nov. 3. The nurses and Meridian have mutually agreed to work on improving the social media policy; HPAE has withdrawn the NLRB complaint, for now.

 "What we did was no different than picketing in the community," says Bridget Devane, HPAE's public policy director. "Our messaging was the same throughout the contract campaign. We weren't saying Meridian was unsafe. Our message was about workers' rights and what they need to provide patients with the best possible care."

"We need to feel safe in our working environment, and we need policies that keep our patients safe,” says Sally Fessler, RN, president of the HPAE local at Southern Ocean Medical Center. “As nurses, we cannot give up our right to a voice when we have fought so hard for strong standards for patient care at our hospital.”

"This was a lesson for us," says Devane.” Social media is a great tool, and it really hit a nerve with the employer—but knowing how to use it is always a concern. It's important for our members to know what their rights really are when it comes to these policies.”

"Nurses are speaking up and telling the hospital to take our concerns and professional recommendations seriously when we say we need these contract protections to do our jobs and care for our patients," says Ruthann Kosick, an RN and acting president of the HPAE local at Jersey Shore Medical Center.

HPAE members also are urging passage of a state law establishing stronger standards for nurse staffing levels, pointing to a decade of studies that link unsafe staffing levels to increases in patient complications, infections and readmissions, as well as increased injuries to nurses and other hospital staff.

[Adrienne Coles, HPAE press release]