Registered Nurses at Jersey Shore University Medical Center (JSUMC) have reached a groundbreaking agreement with Hackensack Meridian Health that sets a new standard for health care in New Jersey. The contract, secured by members of HPAE Local 5058, includes enforceable safe staffing ratios, competitive wage increases, and new workplace violence prevention measures—key issues that nurses have long fought to address.
The agreement represents a major step forward for the 1,700 nurses at JSUMC, who worked through challenging conditions in recent years while continuing to provide critical care to Monmouth County patients. By standing together and pressing for stronger protections, the nurses have set a precedent that could reshape health care delivery across the state.
Dan Hayes, RN and President of HPAE Local 5058, praised the determination of his colleagues throughout the negotiation process. “This contract is historic, and nurses stood united to gain safe staffing ratios and violence prevention standards so they can safely provide care for our patients,” Hayes said. “The safe staffing ratios set in this contract will now give patients the option of choosing a hospital with safe staffing in Monmouth County. Nurses refused to settle for anything less, so patients can have greater assurance that their nurse can provide medical care in a safe manner.”
The agreement is not only about staffing and safety inside the hospital—it also carries wider implications for the future of health care in New Jersey. HPAE President Debbie White, RN, noted that this victory builds on more than a dozen contracts negotiated over the past 21 months by HPAE locals across the state. Together, these agreements form the foundation for a statewide nurse-to-patient ratio law, a measure that many advocates argue is urgently needed.
“Not every hospital in New Jersey is unionized and able to affect their working conditions,” White explained. “Research shows that without nurse-to-patient ratios, nurses are distracted, overwhelmed, and stressed. Since patients come to hospitals for 24-hour nursing care, they deserve a nurse that can be available to meet their needs. That is what we are achieving in our hospitals and what we feel every patient in New Jersey deserves.”
The new contract will be put to a vote by HPAE Local 5058 members on Friday, September 19, 2025. If ratified, the details of the agreement will be released and implemented, giving patients and health care professionals alike a clearer view of what the changes will mean on the ground.
For New Jersey residents, this agreement highlights a growing movement for safer, more sustainable health care environments. It signals a push toward systemic changes that prioritize patient safety, workforce stability, and respect for the professionals who form the backbone of our hospitals. As New Jersey continues to examine the pressing need for a nurse-to-patient ratio law, this contract at JSUMC serves as a vivid example of what can be achieved when health care workers stand together.
The nurses of HPAE Local 5058 are part of Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE), New Jersey’s largest health care union. Representing more than 15,000 nurses, social workers, therapists, technicians, medical researchers, and other professionals across hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies, blood banks, and research facilities, HPAE continues to play a vital role in shaping the future of health care throughout the region.
For readers interested in broader conversations on safe staffing, patient safety, and the importance of wellness initiatives in New Jersey, explore more at Health & Wellness.
