Nurses from Washington, D.C.-based Howard University Hospital and the university's student medical center have announced plans to strike later this month, reported the DCist April 4.
The plans, submitted by the District of Columbia Nurses Association, state plans for the strike to go ahead on April 11 and will involve nurses, dieticians, pharmacists and social workers. The letter was sent to Howard University Hospital CEO Anita Jenkins and Howard University President Wayne Frederick, MD.
The union cites unfair labor practices, including changing worker pay and scheduling during negotiations as well as refusing further bargaining conversations. According to Edward Smith, the union's executive director, the union's contract expired in November and since then both sides have been negotiating a new one. Currently the disagreement between the two parties lies in compensation and staffing according to the union.
Eileen Shaw, the president of the Howard University Hospital union said, "Nurses are at the breaking point. We have given everything we have to Howard during this pandemic because we are dedicated to our patients and this community. They aren’t respecting us." She also called the university hospital management's offer a "slap in the face."
"Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to reach an agreement," a Howard University spokesperson told the DCist. "While we are deeply disappointed that the Union has made this decision, we are taking all necessary steps to ensure that, during the one-day strike, our patients continue to receive the same high-quality care in a safe environment that they expect and deserve."