Brigham Nurses Set an Open-Ended Strike for Nov. 12. The Union and the Hospital Disagree About What Is Still on the Table

More than 4,000 registered nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital have scheduled an open-ended strike to begin at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, after rejecting what Mass General Brigham called its 'last, best, and final' contract offer, the Massachusetts Nurses Association announced Sunday.

The union's elected bargaining committee issued the required 10-day strike notice on Nov. 1, according to the MNA. Negotiations are scheduled to resume Monday, Nov. 9, with a federal mediator, NBC Boston and the Globe reported. If no agreement is reached, the strike would begin three days later.

The walkout, involving roughly 4,000 nurses, would be the largest open-ended nursing strike in Massachusetts history, according to the Globe and WBUR. The MNA described it the same way in its announcement.

<h3>Two accounts of what remains</h3>

The union and the hospital describe the remaining dispute differently. In its release, the MNA said nurses are seeking limits on temporary nurses 'to ensure continuity of patient care,' a float differential to limit nurses being moved from assignment to assignment, insurance choice, and a wage scale it called competitive for new and experienced nurses.

The hospital, in a statement to Boston 25 News, said: 'The remaining issues at the bargaining table relate to compensation and benefits, including wages and health insurance. No patient or workplace safety proposals remain unresolved.'

Those are competing positions. The full text of the hospital's latest offer has not been made public, the Globe reported, so neither claim can be checked against the contract language.

The Globe has reported that the offer did not include across-the-board wage increases. The union previously sought a 3 percent raise for the first six months and 4 percent for the next 12 months. The hospital has pointed out that nurses already receive a 5 percent step increase on each hiring anniversary until they reach 20 years of service, the Globe reported.

According to MGB, as cited by the Globe, Brigham nurses start at $86,700 a year and those with 20 years of service earn at least $220,000; 1,322 nurses, nearly one-third of the local's members, earn that maximum. The hospital said its offer provides 'market-leading compensation and competitive benefits while recognizing our responsibility to our patients, our entire workforce and the long-term financial sustainability of Brigham and Women's Hospital.'

<h3>The union's case</h3>

'We are ready to strike but are equally prepared to negotiate a fair contract that protects patient care, respects nurses, and averts the strike,' Kelly Morgan, a labor and delivery nurse who chairs the bargaining committee, said in the MNA's statement. 'Brigham nurses are resolved to fight for as long as it takes for patient safety and the professional respect we deserve.'

In a phone interview with the Globe, Morgan said, 'This is not something we want to do. We want to avoid this at all costs.' She said the offer included progress on patient-care and workplace issues, but members found parts of the language unsatisfactory, and she accused MGB of 'looking more towards, you know, breaking the union over time.' That is the union leader's characterization; the hospital said it 'deeply value[s] and respect[s]' its nurses and remains committed to 'a fair and responsible agreement.'

Julie Cormican, a staff nurse not on the bargaining committee, told the Globe she was concerned about contract language on temporary nurses and staffing.

<h3>How the dispute got here</h3>

The nurses held a one-day strike on July 8 and were then locked out for four more days because management said it was obligated to give temporary replacement nurses five days of work, the Globe reported. On Sept. 24, they voted to authorize an open-ended strike planned for Oct. 14, then postponed it to review the hospital's new offer. They voted to reject that offer on Oct. 23, according to the MNA.

A City of Boston spokesperson told the Globe that the two sides 'have been working toward a fair contract for nearly four months now,' adding, 'I hope that all parties continue to negotiate with urgency to avoid a strike. Patients are counting on it.'

<h3>For patients</h3>

The hospital said it is 'prepared to continue providing safe, high-quality care throughout any work stoppage, building on our experience and extensive contingency planning.' It has not published specific plans for elective procedures or appointments during a strike in the statements reviewed for this article. Striking nurses would forgo pay and the hospital's contribution to their health insurance premiums during a walkout, the Globe reported.