Native Information
After greater than 9 months of negotiating, nurses at Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute-Merrimack Valley took to the picket line Wednesday.
Nurses at Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute in Methuen went on strike this week after contract negotiations broke down between them and executives.
The strike started at DFCI’s Merrimack Valley middle at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and is simply deliberate to final till 5 p.m. Nevertheless, a piece stoppage will proceed via Friday. DFCI contracted touring nurses to work throughout this time as a substitute, angering the hanging nurses.
“It’s outrageous that Dana-Farber executives would somewhat spend untold cash on vacationers and lock us out somewhat than merely meet the wants of nurses and help the most cancers care we offer in Merrimack Valley,” Nurse Practitioner Kate Mitchell stated in an announcement.
“What does it say about Dana-Farber executives that they can not compromise with nurses on wages and advantages, however they’ll usher in exterior nurses to increase a one-day strike into three days? Dana-Farber’s choice confounds us and can undermine most cancers care entry in our group,” she stated.
The hanging nurses say they’re taking motion to safe current advantages and get aggressive pay will increase. The nurses at DFCI-Merrimack Valley represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation voted 33-1 to authorize a strike again on Aug. 2. A federal mediator was introduced in to assist negotiations earlier this 12 months, to no avail.
The 2 sides have been in talks for greater than 9 months, assembly for 19 bargaining periods, in accordance with DFCI.
“We’re deeply disenchanted that the nurses and nurse practitioners at Dana-Farber Merrimack Valley, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Affiliation (MNA), have chosen to strike somewhat than focus their consideration on working with us to succeed in an settlement on a primary contract,” DFCI stated in an announcement to Boston.com. “The proposed contract could be very aggressive out there and contains retroactive retirement contributions, considerably raised salaries, and step will increase in wages. The MNA rejected each a kind of concessions, selecting to stroll away from negotiations and our sufferers.”
Through the negotiations, MNA representatives sought step will increase of 4.5% every year, Boston Enterprise Journal reported. DFCI proposed will increase of three.75% as a substitute.
The will increase proposed by the MNA would result in salaries about 10% to fifteen% lower than what DFCI nurses make in Boston, the Journal reported. The hospital’s proposed will increase would give nurses in Methuen round 24% lower than what DFCI nurses make in Boston.
DFCI – Merrimack Valley opened in 2020. With 24 examination rooms and 32 infusion bays, it gives most cancers and blood dysfunction care and outpatient companies for grownup sufferers. Final summer season, nurses there voted to type a union and be a part of the MNA. A complete of 87% of the nurses voted to hitch, in an election overseen by the Nationwide Labor Relations Board, in accordance with the union.
In a launch, the MNA highlighted statistics like DFCI’s whole working income for the primary six months of fiscal 12 months 2023 rising by virtually 16% over the identical interval a 12 months earlier than. The union additionally known as out DFCI President and CEO Lauria Glimcher, who reportedly noticed a pay improve of greater than 15% throughout the pandemic.
At the least two elected officers, state Rep. Estela Reyes and state Rep. Ryan Hamilton, joined the nurses on the picket line Wednesday.
“The CEO of Dana-Farber bought virtually a $2 million increase over the course of 1 12 months about two years in the past,” Hamilton stated, to boos from the hanging nurses. “And but they anticipate all of you to take scraps. They usually don’t anticipate you to take what you’re value … I’m going to be right here nonetheless lengthy it should take for all of you to get a good contract.”
E-newsletter Signup
Keep updated on all the newest information from Boston.com