
A large group of faith-based leaders led by Bishop Tom Watson held a prayer vigil outside the doors of University Medical Center (UMC) Friday, October 11, to urge nurses not to strike. “We’re calling for the community to come together for a speedy resolution to prevent any nurses strike that may occur at University Medical Center,” said Watson.
“The patients that UMC cares for are among our city’s most vulnerable and do not deserve to see the quality of their health care placed in jeopardy as a result of an impending strike. We are trying to touch the hearts of all those involved so that a timely resolution can be reached before any intentional harm comes to those patients and families in need of critical care,” Watson continued.
Less than three weeks ago on September 24, UMC’s registered nurses – members of National Nurses United (NNU) – held an informational picket and rally during which they announced their plan to take a strike authorization vote. They were joined by fellow nurses from Children’s Hospital and hundreds of union nurses from around the U.S. Their demands include safe staffing and workplace violence prevention. UMC and Children’s Hospital are both owned by LCMC. Nurses at Children’s have also announced their campaign to form a union.
The overwhelming majority of UMC’s nurses signed a strike pledge in September, according to Hailey Dupre, a registered nurse in UMC’s endoscopy unit. “We know UMC only cares about maximizing profits. Our ability to threaten the flow of their profits is our most powerful tool and we believe it is time for us to show loud and clear that we are prepared to do what it takes to win a strong union contract.”
“Our working conditions are the healing environment for our patients,” said UMC’s Terry Mogilles, R.N., at the September rally. “An integral part of our organizing efforts is to fight for justice for our community. Whether it is gender justice, racial justice, health care justice or economic justice, nurses must be at the center of how we tackle these issues.”
Nurses claim that since March 2024, UMC management has delayed negotiations including postponing bargaining sessions and refusing to make meaningful responses to their proposals on key issues. UMC nurses are demanding that UMC management produce a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program that is implemented at all times, in all units and work areas, and on the facility grounds, including parking structure. They also seek legal protections against retaliation for reporting unsafe conditions and proposals that would improve recruitment and retention.
“Nurses are integral to the success of our city’s health care system. We are trying to touch the hearts of UMC’s nurses so that they put the patients first in every decision they make – including a potentially dangerous decision to strike,” concluded one faith-based leader.
No date has yet been set for a strike authorization vote. Nurses have pledged to provide at least 10 days’ notice before a strike would begin.