Roughly 800 nurses and technicians from Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Conn., began a strike this morning, according to a report from The Day.
The strike follows failed contract negotiations between AFT Connecticut and the hospital. AFT includes two local chapters that represent about 800 workers at the hospital. Talks fell through Tuesday, according to the report.
The union said workers will strike until late Saturday before returning to their jobs under the same terms of the contract that expired Nov. 16. The hospital said there will be a "lockout" of striking workers beginning late Saturday until a new contract is signed, according to the report.
The union is seeking an injunction from the National Labor Relations Board to halt what it calls an illegal lockout.
Striking workers will go without pay for the days they miss work, as AFT Connecticut does not have a strike fund, according to the report. L+M has brought in between 150 and 250 replacement nurses and technicians to fill in during the strike.
This is the first strike at a Connecticut hospital in the past 25 years and the first for L+M, according to the report.
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