Members of the Illinois Nurses Association, which represents about 1,700 registered nurses at Chicago-based UI Health, have voted to authorize a potential second strike since August.
In a unit-wide vote, 88% of participating RNs authorized their negotiating team to call a strike, according to an Oct. 28 union news release shared with Becker's.
A strike authorization vote does not mean a strike will occur. However, it gives the union's bargaining team the authorization to call one if an agreement is not reached.
"The union has left the options for a defined length or open-ended strike on the table and will announce the length and timing of the strike soon," the INA release said.
The recent vote follows a strike in August, which coincided with the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Union RNs began a seven-day strike Aug. 19, with licensed practical nurses joining them for five of those days.
The RNs in the union and UI Health have been in negotiations for months, and the last labor contract expired in August.
Staffing, safety and pay have been key issues at the bargaining table. The union has expressed concerns about what it says is the need for better security protocols. It also contends it cannot settle for the wage proposal currently being offered by UI Health.
UI Health issued a statement, saying in part, "The majority of UI Health nurses currently are paid better than 90% of nurses in the Chicagoland area. Under our current proposal, UI Health nurses will continue to receive top pay compared to Chicagoland peers.
"Should a work stoppage occur, we have comprehensive plans in place, including a process to secure nursing agency staff, to ensure ongoing operations and safe patient care at the University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics."