Members of the National Nurses Organizing Committee are set to begin a 24-hour strike Sept. 25 at Saint Louis University Hospital in St. Louis.
The union, an affiliate of National Nurses United, has represented nurses at the hospital since 2012, according to an NNOC news release. The hospital is part of SSM Health, also based in St. Louis.
Union members voted to authorize a strike on Sept. 1. The union and hospital began negotiating a new labor contract in May. A hospital statement shared with Becker's says that "since Aug. 29, the NNOC has declined to respond or counter our proposals on key wage issues."
The union contends that in bargaining, management has made little to no progress on key issues. "The RNs urge management to invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract that addresses nurse retention and workplace violence prevention," the union release reads.
"We deeply value all our talented, compassionate and dedicated nurses and professionals who provide exceptional healthcare services to our patients and community every day," the hospital said in its statement. "We're disappointed the NNOC has chosen to pull nurses away from patient care to participate in a strike rather than continue our discussions at the bargaining table."