The Salem Registered Nurses Association and Salem Regional Medical Center representatives will be back at the bargaining table Friday after an all-day session Tuesday, in an attempt to thwart a Sunday strike deadline.

The talks may continue on Saturday if no deal is reached Friday.

Sara Harklewood, the president of the Salem Registered Nurses Association, said there was some movement on wages and concessions. Yet, there has been no counter to the staffing proposal or the modified staffing proposal presented to the hospital officials by the union.

The nurses' union has posted an online petition asking for residents to sign.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 638 people have signed the petition, which claims, "In the last 3 years, the hospital lost over 100 registered nurses, largely because nurse wages and benefits have not kept up with other area hospitals."

Harklewood said that 116 Registered Nurses at the hospital are prepared to strike if nurses and the hospital don’t come to an agreement on a new contract. 

The nurses are seeking better pay, saying their wages haven’t kept up with inflation. They also want the hospital to hire additional nurses to lessen the workload.