BOSTON — Over 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have reached a deal for a new contract with Massachusetts General Brigham Wednesday night and avoid a “historic open-ended strike.”
The new contract helps address several priorities, including improvements in patient care, affordable health insurance, and protecting nurses’ wage scales.
Additional improvements also included 20 new full-time float-pool nursing positions aimed at reducing reliance on temporary nurses and limiting how often nurses are reassigned to unfamiliar units.
The deal comes months after contentious negotiations, including a one-day walkout back in July, which then turned into a four-day lockout.
“I’m incredibly proud of the Brigham nurses who stood strong to protect the world-class patient care we provide,” said Kelly Morgan, RN, a labor and delivery nurse and Chair of the BWH MNA Bargaining Committee. “We secured this agreement with the help of countless community members, patients, unions, and elected officials who supported us for many months. By standing together, we protected patients and the future of union nursing care at the Brigham.”
The tentative agreement still needs approval from the nurses. The union’s bargaining committee said it will recommend that members vote to ratify the contract.
Boston 25 has reached out to the Hospital for comment but has yet to hear back.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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