By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Striking nurses and St. John's Mercy Medical Center officials will meet Friday with a federal mediator.
The mediator called for the negotiations----the first since hundreds of nurses went on strike December 15th.
Union spokesman Ed Finkelstein says the nurses remain optimistic that the two sides can meet a compromise.
"Hopefully this will be different," Finkelstein said. "If we have serious negotiations, honest negotiations; we should be able to get a new contract."
Friday's meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. at an undisclosed location.
The hospital is using a combination of replacement nurses, R-Ns from other hospitals within the St. Louis-based Sisters of Mercy Health System, and union nurses who crossed the picket line.