Brigham and Women's Hospital Nurses Vote to Ratify New Contract that Averted Potential Strike and Seeks to Improve Nurse Staffing and Patient Care Conditions

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Sep 10, 2024, 21:39 ET

Brigham nurses negotiated a new MNA contract last month following a 99.4% strike authorization vote motivated by nurses calling on MGB to invest in nurses and improve patient safety

BOSTON, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4,000 Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), voted overwhelmingly on September 10 to ratify a new contract agreement reached in August after they authorized a one-day strike. The contract ensures strong investment in BWH nurses by Mass General Brigham (MGB) to address significant concerns about patient safety and nurse burnout.

"We are extremely proud of Brigham nurses for fighting together to win such a strong contract and help protect our patients," said Kelly Morgan, a Brigham labor and delivery nurse and BWH MNA Chair. "Through our union contract, we were able to secure significant investment to help with recruitment and retention and improve patient care conditions."

The ratification vote took place at the hospital throughout the day on September 10. Brigham nurses' successful vote finalizes an agreement reached by nurses and BWH during negotiations on August 8, following a successful strike authorization vote on July 24. The strike authorization vote followed an informational picket, involvement by a federal mediator, and 29 bargaining sessions over 11 months. MNA nurses at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital have also voted to authorize a one-day strike, though it is not scheduled.

"Brigham nurses overcame steep odds to win this contract through sheer determination and the power of union solidarity." said Jim McCarthy, a PACU nurse and BWH MNA Vice Chair. "We are excited about this agreement because a better nurse contract means a stronger workforce and safer patient care."

Brigham RN Contract Highlights

Improved staffing and patient care through investment in Brigham nurses.
- BWH agreeing to a competitive wage increase helps address widespread understaffing which puts patients and nurses at risk.
- Nurses will receive a 20% to 30% increase over the course of 2.5 years, depending on where they are on the BWH MNA wage scale.
- BWH has historically been a leader in acute care hospital wages. Recently, other hospitals have offered similar if not higher wages, impacting BWH's ability to recruit and retain nurses. This agreement will close the gap between BWH nurses and Dana-Farber nurses.
Health insurance choice.
- Nurses secured choice during the length of their contract to switch between MGB and MNA health insurance, after delivering a petition signed by more than 3,200 nurses.
- Many Brigham nurses have been dissatisfied with MGB health insurance, experiencing long wait times for appointments and imaging, as well as out-of-network costs.
Health and safety: Workplace violence prevention.
- Facing the constant threat of violence and abuse, Brigham nurses prioritized improvements to the hospital's security response during negotiations.
- The hospital will provide safety training to employees annually, facilitate debriefings, and offer medical and/or psychological care to any nurse who experiences violence.
- The hospital will conduct a facility risk assessment no less than annually, including examining parking areas. The assessment will be used to develop and implement programs to minimize danger in collaboration with employees and the MNA.
- The hospital will designate a senior manager responsible for supporting employee victims of workplace violence. All employees will be given workplace violence instructions during work time, including when and how to fight an armed intruder.
- The MNA can designate two nurses as members of the Workplace Violence Prevention Committee.
- Following a SAFE response or security emergency, a nurse leader will enter a safety risk flag immediately if the patient made a credible threat of harm to others or committed a physical or sexual assault.
Key differential increases for better nurse staffing.
- Nurses won increases to several important pay differentials that value additional work nurses perform, such as taking on charge nurse duties and on-call.
- It is important the hospital raise these rates to cover the expenses and responsibilities management puts on nurses. For example, nurses required to be within 30 minutes of the hospital for on-call will receive $30 an hour, up from $7.50 an hour.

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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association