Even though the official four-day strike drew to a close Saturday night, nurses and technicians at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London, Conn., have been barred from returning to work and some continue to picket, according to a WNPR report.
About 800 workers, members of two local AFT Connecticut chapters, went on strike at L+M Nov. 27. The hospital plans to lock out the striking employees until a new contract is signed.
"The lockout is a serious step. But, because of the actions of the unions and their continued threats to conduct intermittent strikes, it is a necessary step," Michael O'Farrell, a hospital spokesperson, said in a news release.
The union sees the lockout differently: "I can't believe how childish it was that they wouldn't even come out and accept the unconditional offer to return to work," Lisa D'Abrasco, president of the nurses union, told WNPR. The union is seeking an injunction from the National Labor Relations Board to stop the lockout.
A negotiation session between the hospital and AFT Connecticut is scheduled for Dec. 3.
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