06.27.2016

Nurses' Strike Planned For Monday

As of Monday Report’s deadline there was still not a resolution of the planned strike of Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) by the Massachusetts Nurses Association union.

The strike is scheduled to begin Monday, June 27 at 7 a.m. and if it does occur, BWH says it will use temporary nurses until the lockout ends on Saturday, July 2 at 7 a.m.

During the past week, the Brigham and the state were involved in alerting other hospitals that BWH was scaling back inpatient and ED occupancy and that other hospitals might see an increase in those areas.

Information revealed over the past week indicates the strike is mainly about wages and health insurance. BWH nurses are generally considered to be currently among the most highly paid in the state. The hospital has created a “Get the Facts” webpage on the strike’s issues.

MHA does not comment on individual contract negotiations but released this general statement: “It has been our experience that hospitals seek compromise when negotiating with labor unions and are not distracted by charged rhetoric that is more about creating negotiating leverage than a reasonable resolution. But one thing that Massachusetts hospitals will never compromise upon is providing safe and effective patient care.”