Union-represented nurses at Steward Health Care's St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, Mass., plan to picket this week.
The announcement came from the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents 600 nurses at St. Elizabeth's. In a news release, the union said nurses are picketing "to draw the public's attention to Steward St. Elizabeth's pattern of chronically understaffing the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit, adult ICU, emergency department and psych units."
The picket is slated to take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, one day before the nurses' contract expires.
In response to the picket plans, St. Elizabeth's spokesperson Melanie Franco said, "St. Elizabeth's Medical Center is proud of the quality care provided by hospital doctors, nurses and staff to our patients every day, and we take pride in the collaborative work we have done with multiple unions to continue improving care and jobs within the facility. We have met with our valued nursing team members regarding their concerns and we are confident that working together we will resolve them."