Brigham Nurses Vote 99.6% to Authorize Historic Strike

The tally, with 2,798 nurses voting in favor and only 12 against, grants the MNA Bargaining Committee the authority to call a strike if upcoming sessions fail to yield a contract. While the vote does not trigger an immediate walkout, it signals a significant escalation in a dispute centered on wages, staffing stability, and the hospital's reliance on temporary travel nurses.

Union leadership argues that the network's financial priorities are misaligned with patient care needs. While management has proposed 0% wage increases for many nurses and higher health insurance costs, the system’s top 14 executives collected a combined $35.9 million in compensation during fiscal year 2024. Kelly Morgan, chair of the bargaining committee, noted that the hospital cannot claim patient care is a priority while refusing to invest in the staff who deliver it. The nurses are specifically pushing for better recruitment incentives, more affordable health insurance, and the protection of clinical units recently slated for closure or restructuring.

Management and union representatives are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on June 18. Should a strike be called, the union is legally required to provide a 10-day notice, allowing the hospital time to finalize contingency plans for the medically complex patients under its care.