OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Some healthcare workers at Oak Ridge Methodist Medical Center are demanding a new employment contract.

Negotiations have been ongoing since August and the two sides decided to postpone the contract renewal date by a month.

“Hopefully, by November 9, we will have a fair contract that prioritizes coverage for our patients,” hospital nurse Sarah Englehardt said.

November 9 is the new expiration date of their current contract.

The hospital’s nurses and the Service Employees International Union are now asking for support from the public.

“We need a fair contract, and if the hospital doesn’t listen to us, we’ll be out on the streets knowing we have the support of the public behind us,” SEIU’s Brad Rayson said. .

In a statement from Methodist Medical Center, the hospital said this process took longer than initially expected.

Methodist Medical Center stated that the union exercised its right to hold an information meeting and announced that this was not a strike and that patient care continued uninterrupted.

“MMC is an important institution to this community, and the community knows that the people who work here are what make this a great institution,” Rayson said.

Workers say they want better benefits, but it’s about more than money.

“There are many ways to respect employees who work as hard as those at Methodist Medical Center,” Rayson said. “It could be affordable, it could be a benefit, it could be an acknowledgment that they have a life away from the Methodists where they have to take care of their children, their parents and themselves.”

Both sides say they are hopeful a solution can be found as they continue negotiations over the next two weeks.

The hospital says the goal is a contract that prioritizes patient care, as well as a competitive benefits and compensation package for all staff.

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