BOSTON — Nurses from Brigham and Women’s Hospital are set to walk off the job on Thursday after their union was unable to come to an agreement on a new contract with the hospital system.
There is still time for Mass General Brigham (MGB) and the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) to come back to the bargaining table to work out a new contract before the scheduled strike.
Despite there still being time, families with loved ones being cared for at the Brigham are concerned for what a potential strike could mean for patients.
Penny Aicardi has been feeling those concerns ever since she found out about the strike.
She says her mom was a vibrant and lively 82-year-old up until a couple of months ago, when she was diagnosed with Lymphoma of the central nervous system. Ever since, she says her mom has been in various hospitals and then transferred to Brigham and Women’s on Oct. 21.
“There are days that are really hard for her, and there are days that are pretty good for her,” Aicardi said.
Aicardi says the nurses at the Brigham know her mom’s needs and feel like family.
“I do feel that they do really care about the patients,” Aicardi said.
With a potential strike on the horizon, set for Thursday, Aicardi is worried about what that will mean for her mom’s care.
“I can’t be there every moment of every day, so I rely on them [nurses] to be able to take care of her and to know when she needs more and when she doesn’t, so that’s my biggest fear. I am scared of the consistency of care that she’ll have,” Aicardi said.
Post-anesthesia care nurse at the Brigham for 26 years, Kerry Noonan, explained they don’t want to go on strike, putting the well-being of their patients in the hands of someone else.
As part of the bargaining team, Noonan said they spent a long night Monday trying to reach an agreement with MGB but still came up short.
“They have wants. We have wants. They have needs. We have needs. And working it out amicably is where we’ve been struggling,” Noonan said. “I feel like there is progress being made, although when there’s nothing on paper, it’s hard to support that with a document.”
The contract in question is the same one that nurses walked off the job for back in July for a one-day strike, which turned into a 4-day lockout.
Mass General Brigham says its latest offer includes wage increases and competitive benefits.
The hospital also says it has extensive contingency plans to keep the hospital open and providing safe care, including using replacement nurses.
Though for Aicardi, she says it won’t be the same.
“I want the best for my mom, and I don’t know what’s coming in. It’s just fear of the unknown,” Aicardi said.
As of Tuesday, both MNA and MGB say there aren’t any bargaining sessions scheduled, but both say they are open and ready to return to the table.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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