Brigham Nurses Gave Notice for Nov. 12. That's Nine Days to Get a Deal Done

More than 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital have scheduled an open-ended strike starting 7 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, the Massachusetts Nurses Association announced. The Globe and WBUR say it would be the largest open-ended nursing strike in state history.

The two sides don't even agree on what they're fighting about. The union says it's about limits on temp nurses, a float differential, insurance choice and wages. The hospital told Boston 25 News the remaining issues are 'compensation and benefits' and that 'no patient or workplace safety proposals remain unresolved.'

The hospital's full offer hasn't been made public, the Globe reported, so nobody outside the room can check either claim.

My opinion: if management wants the public on its side, put the offer out there. Talks with a federal mediator resume Monday, Nov. 9. Patients need this settled before Nov. 12, not after.