St. Vincent Nurses Strike Heads Into 105th Day

WORCESTER, MA — On Sunday, the nurses of St. Vincent Hospital will mark their 105th day on strike, making it the second-longest nurses strike in Massachusetts history and the longest nurses strike nationally in more than a decade, according to organizers.

The longest strike in the state waged by nurses was at Burbank Hospital in Fitchburg, which lasted six months in 1980. More recently, the nurses at Signature Brockton Hospital stopped work for the 104-days in 2001.

"While we are committed to stand up for our patients and community, the length of this strike is a testament of how Tenant Healthcare executives have chosen to reallocate their vast resources for the last two years away from the bedside, placing the health and safety of patients at great risk especially during the worst pandemic crisis in our nation," said Dominique Muldoon, a longtime nurse at the hospital and co-chair of the nurses local bargaining unit with the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

The St. Vincent nurses want better pay and benefits, but have mainly been demanding higher staffing levels inside the hospital. The hospital's leaders say the nurses demands are too high, and the two sides have not been negotiating since an offer made by St. Vincent in early May.

Previously: McGovern, Warren, Sara Nelson Will Rally For St. Vincent ...

• St. Vincent Threatens To Replace Striking Nurses
• St. Vincent Nurses Go On Strike In Worcester

The strike began on March 8 following more than a year of failed negotiations between the two sides. St. Vincent nurses last went on strike about 20 years ago, which is when they voted to join a union.

The two sides returned to the negotiating table in May after St. Vincent offered a contract that included provisions on staffing used by the UMass Memorial system. The MNA made a counterproposal, which St. Vincent leaders said was above what they were willing to offer.

But negotiations stalled and St. Vincent’s system threatened to permanently replace the nurses.

Last Saturday hundreds, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Congressman Jim McGovern, Worcester Mayor Joe Petty, several members of the Massachusetts legislative delegation showed up to support the striking nurses.

“Nurses work hard to take care of us when it matters most, and I stand with them in this fight. It is time for Tenet to return to the bargaining table and conclude negotiations so St. Vincent nurses can go back to doing what they do best – caring for our community,” said Warren.