After 19 contract negotiation sessions in the last 9 months, the nurses’ union at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston voted late on Monday to stage a one-day strike later this month. The nurses’ issues mainly include compensation, health benefits, paid time off, staffing levels, and security. Almost 2,500 nurses from the hospital’s union are prepared to strike if the hospital doesn’t offer them a fair contract within the 10 days’ notice that the union is required to give before going on strike.
Ron Walls, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Brigham and Women’s Health Care stated that the leadership team and BWH community have the highest respect for their nurses and the incredible care they deliver. Walls says that their BWN nurses are already amongst the highest paid nurses locally, regionally, and nationally, speaking to how much the hospital values them for the care they provide. However, Trish Powers, the union’s chairperson, believes their nurses still deserve a better offer.
In response to the proposed strike, BWH has said that the nurses will be locked out of the hospital for 5 days if they carry out their strike. This 5-day window will be implemented to ensure a smooth transition and safe and effective care for each patient. The hospital is prepared to bring in 700 nurses to provide care during the strike period. If an agreement isn’t reached, then the walkout will begin on June 27th at 7 AM.
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