SAN DIEGO – The nurses’ union and Sharp Healthcare are still no closer to a deal after the union reportedly rejected the latest offer from the San Diego-based company.
Sharp Healthcare claims that talks between the two parties are at an “impasse.”
However, in a news release Friday night the Sharp Professional Nurses Network denied those claims.
“The union is aware of Sharp’s communication and vigorously disagrees with its characterization of our negotiations being at impasse,” the SPNN said.
The union said it will meet Wednesday to vote on whether to strike.
Meanwhile, in its own news release Friday, Sharp Healthcare said that despite the impasse, it has decided to give nurses a raise regardless of the contact situation.
“With the negotiations at a legal impasse, Sharp has decided to move forward and implement the economic elements of our offer so our nurses can benefit and be rewarded with wage increases and other compensation improvements from our proposal, even though a new contract has not been signed.”
A Sharp spokesperson told 10News Saturday it instituted a seven percent raise across the board to its nurses, who are currently working without a contract.
Sharp claims its latest offer, which was rejected, consisted of a pay increase of 16 to 26 percent over the span of three years.
Negotiations have been ongoing since July. Sharp operates four hospitals in San Diego County. It employs about 17,000 people.
