The nurses strike at Saint Vincent Hospital, which began in March, reached its 200th day on Thursday.
The hiatus between the Massachusetts Nurses Association and Tenet Healthcare began over staffing but now continues because of a return-to-work provision.
The MNA says nurses returning to their positions is common in any strike negotiations. Tenet says this isn’t a normal strike.
As the strike reached 200 days, an end doesn’t appear in sight.
On Thursday, the MNA released plans for a community event to support the hospital’s nurses on Saturday, day 202 of the strike.
The MNA asks community members and labor and social justice advocates in Worcester to join the nurses in a day of solidarity.
“From the beginning of our strike, we have been amazed and humbled by the tremendous support we have received from our community, who truly understand the pivotal role we play in protecting this community, and who also understand that we are out on the street walking that picket line for one reason and one reason only – to convince Tenet Healthcare to provide us with the staffing and resources we need to keep our patients safe,” said Marlena Pellegrino, a registered nurse at the hospital and co-chair of the nurses local bargaining unit.
Nearly every elected official in Worcester has joined the nurses on the picket line since the strike began on March 8. On a federal level, Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey and U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern and Lori Trahan also joined the nurses. Earlier this month, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi spoke with several nurses at Saint Vincent to express her support.
The support from federal officials even as they pressure Tenet Healthcare to resolve the strike hasn’t sparked a resolution.
The strike is the longest in the history of nurse’s strikes in Massachusetts. Progress was made at the end of August during secret negotiations where both sides agreed on the details of a deal, however, a return-to-work clause is now preventing a resolution.
“Tenet is well aware that the return to a work agreement and the unfair labor practice charges have to be resolved before we can walk into that building,” Pellegrino told MassLive earlier this month. “That’s something they have the power to do. It’s just something they don’t choose to do right now.”
As COVID-19 surges in Worcester, pressure is mounting for a resolution.
The strike began as COVID numbers declined out of the winter surge.
CEO of UMass Memorial Health Dr. Eric Dickson said in June that the hospital had seven patients with COVID, but the number on Friday is up to 130.
The positive test rate in the city was 1% in June but is now about 10%. Dickson said about 70 patients are waiting for beds in emergency rooms with wait times of up to 10 to 12 hours.
New cases in Worcester have now increased for 10 consecutive weeks. The city saw 510 new cases since last week. On Sept. 9, the city reported 103 new cases, the first three-digit daily report since April 9 in Worcester. On Sept. 15, the city saw 152 new cases.
The city’s seven-day average is 78 new cases daily, more than four times the average on Aug. 1 when it was 18 per day.
On Wednesday, Dr. Bogdan Nedelescu, the president of Saint Vincent Hospital medical staff, sent a letter on behalf of the Worcester hospital’s medical staff for the sides to come to a deal.
“We know your bargaining committee agreed to the details of the new contract to end the strike, and we are pleased that the committee feels you will be well prepared, well compensated and well supported to deliver great care to our patients,” Nedelescu wrote in the letter, which was shared with MassLive. “However, it is disappointing that the only remaining impediment is the bargaining committee’s demand that all strikers must be given their previous shifts or will not return.”
The letter came after Dickson pleaded with the MNA and Tenet Healthcare to find a resolution as COVID wreaks havoc on the city.
Dickson made the plea during a COVID news conference with city officials. Dickson said the nurse’s strike is keeping between 80 and 100 hospital beds offline — about the number of individuals waiting in emergency departments in the city for a bed.
“We would really call upon the leadership of Saint Vincent and the MNA to get together, get in a room and figure this thing out,” Dickson said. “When the strike started we were in better shape than we are now. The projection was better. We’re at a crisis situation now.”
Dickson emphasized the best route out of the “crisis” is for more people to get vaccinated.
Dickson said even a boost of 10 to 15% in the city would help relieve stress currently on UMass Memorial Health and Saint Vincent Hospital.
“We can get it to a manageable number and a manageable amount of pressure on the healthcare system, so we don’t have to start making tough, tough decisions about who gets the ventilator and who doesn’t and whose surgery has to be canceled? Is this cancer worse than that cancer? We don’t have to be in that situation.”
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