BOSTON — The authorized one-day nurses’ strike at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has officially ended, but the labor dispute is far from over.
Just over an hour after the strike concluded Thursday morning, hundreds of nurses gathered outside the hospital and attempted to return to work. Instead, they were told they could not re-enter the building and would not be allowed to return until 7 a.m. on July 13.
The nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, spent the full 24 hours on the picket line before walking to the hospital’s entrance at 75 Francis Street to announce they were ready to resume patient care.
A hospital security staff member informed the group that they would not be returning to work immediately.
Union leaders vowed to continue picketing outside the hospital around the clock.
“They’re refusing to let us come back to work, and you will see us out here 24/7 until they allow us back in. We’re ready and willing to negotiate at any point in time. It’s on them now,” a union representative said.
While the strike has ended, approximately 1,300 temporary replacement nurses remain inside the hospital caring for patients.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital says the temporary nurses underwent extensive training before the strike began.
In a statement, the hospital said:
“Nearly 1,300 nurses have received extensive orientation and are being integrated into existing care teams with support from Brigham clinical and operational leaders, who have an increased presence on units, including during key transition and handoff periods.”
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Hospital officials say union nurses cannot immediately return because replacement nurses were hired under contracts requiring a minimum five-day commitment.
According to Brigham and Women’s, nurses receive annual 5% step wage increases for their first 20 years of service and 2.5% increases in subsequent years. The hospital also noted that nurses received a one-time 3% across-the-board wage increase in October.
More than 4,000 nurses participated in the strike, one of the largest labor actions involving healthcare workers in Massachusetts in recent years.
Union nurses are expected to remain off the job until Monday, when the temporary staffing contracts are set to expire.
Negotiations between the two sides remain ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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