Registered nurses at Beth Israel Lahey Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, Mass., issued a vote authorizing union leaders to call a three-day strike amid contract negotiations.
Approximately 350 nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, entered official negotiations for a new union contract in September, with the first negotiation Sept. 12 and the second scheduled for Oct. 5. Their contract is set to expire Dec. 31.
Ninety-nine percent of the unionized nurses voted yes to strike authorization, according to the MNA.
"Casting a strike vote this early in the process is an unusual step but one the nurses feel is necessary given the gravity of the crisis the facility faces, and the need for management to understand how serious the nurses are for BI Lahey to fix these problems," the union said in its announcement of the strike authorization, noting that Beth Israel Lahey Anna Jaques Hospital will have 10 days' notice if and when the committee issues an official notice to strike.
"As Anna Jaques Hospital begins its negotiations with the MNA for a new contract, a key priority is reaching a fair agreement that increases wages for the outstanding nurses serving our community," Christine Kipp, interim CNO of Anna Jaques Hospital, said in a statement to Becker's. "We hope to move quickly in reaching agreement on contract terms that will support both retention and recruiting goals."
Amid contract negotiations, the hospital's nursing team is engaging temporary staff, providing incentives to existing staff to provide coverage when necessary, and providing intensive onboarding to assist our newest nurses in integrating into the AJH community, according to Ms. Kipp.
In February, the nurses delivered a petition for pay increases to management and arranged a picket in March. The hospital told Becker's it offered an immediate 7 percent wage increase to its nursing team this summer. "We were disappointed that the MNA rejected this offer, however, we hope that timely, effective bargaining can reach a fair resolution that increases wages," the hospital said in a statement to Becker's.