Our Community Supports Clara Maass Caregivers
About Clara Nurses’ Fight for Justice and a Fair Contract:
After being hailed as “healthcare heroes” during the pandemic, nurses at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, NJ saw management ignore their concerns about unsafe staffing and working conditions.
In August 2022, the over 500 registered nurses at Clara Maass overwhelmingly voted to unionize with 1199SEIU.
As nurses negotiate their first union contract, management is stonewalling these healthcare heroes, refusing changes that would improve staffing levels and give nurses input in hospital policies to improve patient care. Essentially, management wants to keep everything the same.
Management is engaging in a hostile intimidation campaign against nurses. Active nurse union members are being targeted for calling for fair pay, respect, and staffing improvements for patient safety.
On May 15, management fired a beloved nurse and union activist with 25 years of experience and 18 years of service at Clara Maass. Nurses demand her immediate reinstatement.
On May 16, hundreds of Clara Maass nurses and community supporters picketed for a fair contract that pays, respects, protects, and staffs nurses. Days later, Management refused to negotiate in-person.
On July 22, thousands of Clara Maass nurses and community supporters rallied for a fair contract. Management then cancelled negotiations, which had been scheduled for July 28.
After months of bargaining, RWJ Barnabas continues to refuse to agree to a fair contract that would provide nurses with a meaningful voice in staffing, working conditions, and labor-management relations.
How to Support Clara Maass Caregivers?
Join nurses’ growing Community Support Committee to stay updated about upcoming nurse actions, events, and hospital news—and get a free lawn sign or placard!
Our community stands united in support of Clara Maass nurses’ efforts to achieve safe staffing, quality patient care and improved working conditions in their hospital. We urge hospital management to bargain in good faith with the nurses.
Local businesses support Clara RNs
Click on the images below to read letters of support from our elected officials:
To learn more about how you can support Clara Maass Nurses’ fight for fair wages, safe staffing, and dignified working conditions, contact:
Bryn Lloyd-Bollard, Communications Director,1199SEIU, 732-606-594, bryn.lloydbollard@1199.org;
Tony Mendia, Political Coordinator,1199SEIU, 732-841-0295, tony.mendia@1199.org
Sign-On Letter to Support Clara Maass Nurses
Dear Mary Ellen Clyne,
It has come to our attention that in Clara Maass Medical Center Nurses’ ongoing negotiations for their first union contract, Clara Maass Management is refusing to make significant changes in hospital policies demanded by nurses—who chose to unionize due to concerns about hospital policies and stafffing.
Nurses are demanding staffing improvements, the creation of committees between labor and management to craft hospital policy, professional development opportunities for nurses, and more. These demands are centered around improving working conditions and improving patient care (which are themselves deeply connected).
Management called these nurses “healthcare heroes” during the pandemic, yet they have not demonstrated this appreciation in tangible ways. While management sets policy from the boardroom, nurses are the frontline caregivers best situated to evaluate and execute patient care. Therefore, nurses must have a seat at the table to establish appropriate patient care standards.
We, the undersigned, demand that management fully recognize the nurses’ essential contributions to the hospital and the communities it serves by agreeing to a fair contract that addresses nurses’ concerns and ensures a meaningful voice for nurses in patient care.
Sincerely,
Mel Aaronson, New York NY
Ashley Adams, Boston MA
Helen Adams, Washington DC
Rabbi Melanie Aron, Washington DC
Ms Marya Axner, Somerville MA
Jim Baker, Nivelles Belgium
Dr. Lynn Barberi, Lewes DE
Rabbi Allen Bennett, San Francisco CA
Rabbi Marjorie Berman, Clarks Summit PA
Rabbi Aryeh Bernstein, Chicago IL
Ms Robin Berson, New York NY
Neil Bhaerman, Columbus OH
Jacob Bolton, Detroit MI
Ms Alyson Brauning, Vacaville CA
Jacob Bromberg, Paris Ile-de-France, France
Jeff Brown, Philadelphia PA
David Campbell, Carson CA (USW Local 675)
Charles Carnow, New York NY
Louis Carotenuto, Brooklyn NY
Ron Chencinski, Brooklyn NY
Aliya Cheskis-Cotel, New York NY (Kolot Management)
Arnold Cohen, Newark NJ
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, Los Angeles CA
David Cohen, Washington DC
Patrick Crabtree, Mobile AL
Norman Danzig, Bronx NY
Ilana DeBare, Oakland CA
Ms Susan C Dessel, New York NY
Professor Elin Diamond, Highland Park NJ
Virginia Diamond, Arlington VA (Northern Virginia Labor Federation)
Anatole Dolgoff, New York NY
Stephen Domesick, Lake Worth FL
Kevin Eitzmann, Ballston Lake NY
Michael Elchoness, Livingston NJ
Ed Finkelstein, St. Louis MO (St. Louis Labor Tribune)
Steven Fischler, Seattle WA
Joel Freedman, Silver Spring MD
Mrs. Rita Freedman, Silver Spring MD
Adrian Fried, Novato CA
Joyce Frommer, Little Falls NJ
Stephen Gappelberg, Monroe Twp. NJ
Ms Carol Gay, Brick NJ (NJ State Industrial Union Council)
Eric Geist, Silver Spring MD
Mara Gellman, Roseland NJ
Bernie Gerard, Port Jefferson Station NY
Louis Gerber, Falls Church VA
Mrs. Pamela Gibberman, Panorama City CA
Dr. Mark Gold, Teaneck NJ
Chad Goldberg, Madison WI
Ms Debbie Goldman, Washington DC
Herbert Goodfriend, Elizabeth NJ
Ms Erika Gottfried, Seattle WA
Alix Gould Werth, Brooklyn NY
Jeffrey Grayzel, Morristown NJ
Mrs. Susan Grossman, West Orange NJ
Charles Hall Jr, Newark NJ (RWDSU Local 108)
Ms Sarah Harnick, Metuchen NJ
Ms Marta (Marti) Harris, Perris CA
Bill Henning, Wall NJ (OPEIU Local 32)
Caitlin Higgins Joy, Caldwell NJ
Ms Ann Hoffman, Washington DC
Bruce Jay, Coral Springs FL
Isaac Jimenez, Jersey City NJ (North NJ DSA)
Paul Kalka, East Rockaway NY (PEF Jewish Committee)
John Kaniecki, Montclair NJ
Fredy Kaplan, New York NY
Philip Katz, West Newton MA
Ms Barbara Kavadias, Morristown NJ
Thomas Kelly, Emerson NJ (Passaic County Central Labor Council)
David Kerner, Brooklyn NY
Benjamin Kersten, West Hollywood CA
Rabbi Yohanna Kinberg, Olympia WA
Sid Kivanoski, Brooklyn NY
Dr. Irena Klepfisz, Brooklyn NY
Ms Maryellen Kluxen, RN, Montclair NJ
Rabbi Yaakov Komisar, Baltimore MD
David Kranz, Montclair NJ
Rabbi Charles Kroloff, Westfield NJ
Rabbi Clifford Kulwin, Montclair NJ
Barry Kushnir, East Brunswick NJ (IFPTE Local 194)
Barry Kushnir, Jersey City NJ
Ms Judy Lackritz, San Antonio TX
Rabbi Alan LaPayover, Philadelphia PA
Deborah Lasher, Metuchen NJ
Rabbi Harry Levin, Rumson NJ
Ms Ellen Levitt, Brooklyn NY
David Levy, Brooklyn NY
Robert Levy, Ventura CA
Rabbi Elias Lieberman, East Falmouth MA
Norman & Sylvia Lieberman, Philadelphia PA
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, Philadelphia PA
Kari Litteer, Baltimore MD
Mrs. Laurie Lubman, Wantagh NY
Lev Mallinger, Libertyville IL
Professor Jeffry Mallow, Glenview IL
Ms Gail Malmgreen, West Orange NJ
Rabbi Randall Mark, Wayne NJ
Anton Marks, Nof Hagalil Israel
Mrs. Diana Mejia, Madison NJ (Wind of the Spirit, Immigrant Resource Center)
David Melman, Hopewell NJ
Rabbi Goldie Milgram, Sarasota FL
Bertram Miller, Brooklyn NY
Mitch Miller, Clifton NJ
Ms Nancy Mills, Brooklyn NY
Mrs. Edie Molaver, Southington CT
Mrs. Susan Mullins, Bloomfield NJ
Ms Gail Gianasi Natale, Seattle WA
Donald Nesbit, Clark NJ
Mrs. Ruth Bauer Neustadter, Hackensack NJ
Dr. Jud Newborn, Plainview NY
Roberta Newman, New York NY
John O'Grady, Naperville IL
Beth Omansky, Portland OR
Dr. Stephen Oren, Chicago IL
Lynn Padwee, Monroe Twp NJ
Ms MB Pepper, Brooklyn NY
Mike Perry, Chicago IL (Chicago Jewish Labor Committee)
Jacob Plitman, New York NY
Michael H. Price, Fort Worth TX
Rabbi Deborah Prinz, New York NY
Kenneth Prinz, Washington DC
Ms Ann Rea, Brunswick ME
Reverend Kathryn Riss, Piscataway NJ
Joseph Rodriguez, Rutherford NJ (BCTGM Local 53)
Hetty Rosenstein, South Orange NJ
Rabbi Michael Rothbaum, Atlanta GA
Rabbi Robert Rubin, Brick NJ
Ms Dahlia Rudavsky, Waban MA
Rabbi Moshe Rudin, West Orange NJ
Rafael Santiago, Newark NJ (New Labor)
Dr. Angelica Santomauro, North Bergen NJ
Anthony Scally, Paterson NJ
Dr. Kathryn Scarbrough, East Brunswick NJ
Ms Kimberly Schiller, Oyster Bay NY
Mrs. Irene Schuman, Melrose Park PA
Rabbi Jeremy Schwartz, Willimantic CT
Steve Schwartz, North Potomac MD
Rabbi Judith Seid, Pleasanton CA
Alice Senturia, Key West FL
Nico Sermoneta, Newark NJ
Dr. Karen Shawn, Fort Lee NJ
Rabbi David Shneyer, Beallsville MD (Am Kolel Congregation)
Joel Siegelman, Worcester MA
Frank Silberstein, University Park MD
Jonathan Sinnott, Warren NJ
Matthew Smith, New Brunswick NJ
Pam Smith, Crofton MD (NOLSW, UAW Local 2320)
Steve Sorkin, St. Louis MO
Ms Rosalind Spigel, Bryn Mawr PA (Spigel Consulting)
Matthew Stafford, Murfreesboro TN
Ivan Steen, Albany NY
Elliot Stephens, Mt. Clemens MI
Andrew Stern, New York NY
Ira Stern, Piscataway NJ
Jennifer Stern, Newton MA
Rabbi Jeffrey Stiffman, St. Louis MO
Ms Miriam Szapiro, Takoma Park MD
Ms Karen Szczepanski, Montclair NJ
Dr. David Taylor, Flemington NJ
Jamie Trinkle, Portland OR
Ms Rosemary Trump, Pittsburgh PA
Roz Sherman Voellinger, St. Louis MO
Thomas Walsh, Cliffwood NJ (Local 262, RWDSU)
Jeff Weintraub, Bryn Mawr PA
Debbie White, Marlton NJ (President, Health Professionals and Allied Employees-HPAE)
Charles Wilbanks, South Orange NJ (Council of School Supervisors and Administrators)
Philip Yourish, East Orange NJ (Consultants for Nonprofits )
Ms Beth Zak-Cohen, Newark NJ
Leonard Zeskind, Kansas City MO
John Zuraw, Oak Park IL
Bennet Zurofsky, Maplewood NJ