WORCESTER – The 800 nurses of St. Vincent Hospital, set to strike on Monday, March 8, are holding a pre-strike rally at 11 E. Central St. in Worcester on Sunday, March 7, at 4:30 PM.
If there is a settlement in the labor dispute before Sunday, the Massachusetts Nurses Association [MNA] says the rally will become a celebration.
After negotiations ended on Wednesday, March 3, without a settlement, statements from both sides gave no sign a solution was near.
A statement by St. Vincent Hospital on Wednesday said it is turning its attention to ensuring quality care. The hospital paid $1.7 million for replacement nurses, with another $3.7 million due on Friday.
The hospital says the MNA rejected the most generous wage package in over 10 years.
St. Vincent CEO Carolyn Jackson said the hospital was “… very disappointed at the MNA’s unwilling to reach an agreement.” She also said the MNA is “willing to jeopardize their members and our community over invalid complaints about quality and safety.”
The MNA cited more than 500 “unsafe staffing” reports by nurses over the last year and the hospital’s proposal to address staffing levels on only two of twelve units.
Without a resolution, nurses at St. Vincent Hospital begin the strike at 6 AM on Monday, March 8.
Image: Terageorge~commonswiki, Saint Vincent Hospital Worcester, CC BY-SA 4.0
