(Altoona, PA) – Nurses at Altoona Regional Health Systems’ two hospital campuses launched billboards and a new website to inform the community about their priorities for their first union contract.

“Nurses are on the front lines of patient care and we’re excited about achieving a union contract that gives a voice to frontline health professionals and ensures an environment that promotes the best outcome for patients,” said Bonnie Franciosi, a Registered Nurse at Altoona Regional Health System.

The billboards appear at West Plank Road near the Bon Secours Campus and on the 8^th Street Bridge near the Altoona Campus to promote the new website, www.supportaltoonanurses.org as a way to involve the community in the issues of concern to nurses.

“Our whole community depends on our health system, and we want to make sure our patients and members of our community are aware and involved.  We have a great opportunity to make our hospital the employer of choice for nurses in central Pennsylvania and the provider of choice for patients,” said Denny Krumenaker, a Registered Nurse at the hospital.

Nurses won their union election in May of 2007, voting to join Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare. Negotiations between the nurse union negotiating committee and the hospital administration began last summer. Both the hospital administration and the nurses have set a tentative deadline of March 1, 2008 for the completion of the first contract.