As we near the eighth week of the strike led by the United Steelworkers Union, it becomes increasingly clear that their conduct is unjustifiable. They have placed patients’ safety in serious jeopardy by redirecting nurses from their core duty of caring for those in need. Instead of participating in negotiations in good faith, the union has opted to emphasize sensationalism over constructive discussions.

It is an outrage that the union continues to reject multiple offers from the hospital, including substantial double-digit pay increases and heightened staffing levels, despite nurses at RWJUH already having the highest pay rates in New Jersey.

The union’s behavior is nothing short of disgraceful. Patient safety should never be sacrificed on the altar of union politics. It is high time for the United Steelworkers Union to abandon its reckless and self-serving approach and return to the negotiating table immediately. The lives and well-being of patients should always take precedence over union posturing and grandstanding.