Striking Delco hospital nurses to return to work Friday

More than 370 nurses and technicians at Delaware County Memorial Hospital plan to go back to work Friday morning after they went on strike for two days and were prevented from returning to their jobs for three more by the hiring of temporary workers.  Contract negotiations are continuing.

They began their strike Sunday, asking for more staffing. The hospital's owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, said staffing levels align with the national average.

The workers said they offered to end the strike after two days. However, the hospital's owner said agencies that provided temporary staffing to keep the hospital running required a five-day commitment. Prospect bought Crozer-Keystone Health System, of which Delaware County Memorial is a part, in 2016.

The workers plan to enter the building starting at 6:30 a.m. Friday. Prospect and hospital management say they will return to negotiations with the workers, represented by the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, on Tuesday.