Boston – On Thursday, roughly 4,000 unionized nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital will cast votes on whether to authorize an open‑ended strike. The vote, scheduled from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at multiple locations, could extend the one‑day work stoppage the nurses held in July.
Union demands and rationale
The Massachusetts Nurses Association bargaining committee says the nurses are asking for several contract improvements: limits on the health system’s reliance on temporary nurses to ensure continuity and quality of care; affordable health insurance with meaningful plan choice; fair compensation for nurses who float among units; and a cost‑of‑living wage increase.
Kelly Morgan, RN, chair of the Brigham MNA bargaining committee, said, “MGB is trying to use its immense wealth and power to force nurses to accept a contract that does not adequately protect patients or respect our work. Brigham nurses are strong, united and prepared to stand with our colleagues, our communities and elected officials to overcome the power of MGB’s billionaire board members and multimillionaire executives.”
Hospital’s response
A spokesperson for Brigham and Women’s Hospital pushed back on the union’s claims, noting that the system has bargained in good faith over 25 negotiating sessions and presented a fair, competitive proposal. The spokesperson highlighted that Brigham nurses already rank among the highest‑paid nurses locally, statewide and nationally, with compensation in the top 10 % of the acute‑care hospital market.
“We remain committed to reaching a responsible agreement; however, given the MNA’s unwillingness to adjust their proposal, the negotiations are at impasse,” the spokesperson said. “None of us wants another strike. However, we are fully prepared to continue delivering the safe patient care that our patients expect and deserve should a second strike occur.”
The hospital also warned that the expense growth sought by the union “is not sustainable and would put significant pressure” on the system’s ability to preserve access, affordability and long‑term investment in patient care.
Broader context
Mass General Brigham (MGB), the nonprofit health system that includes Brigham and Women’s, employs more than 85,000 people, including over 14,000 unionized staff. The system has settled two union contracts within the past month and emphasizes a balance between competitive compensation and sustainable patient access.
In addition to the nurses, MGB Home Care clinicians are pursuing their first union contract, seeking reasonable caseload limits, transparent productivity standards and competitive wages. Those clinicians are not currently voting on strike authorization.
What’s at stake
If the nurses vote “yes,” the bargaining committee could call an open‑ended strike after providing the legally required 10‑day notice. No specific strike date has been set.
The outcome will affect not only the nurses and the health system but also the thousands of patients who rely on Brigham and Women’s for acute care. Both sides have expressed a desire to avoid further disruption, emphasizing the importance of maintaining safe, high‑quality patient care while reaching a fair contract.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
