UVM Nurses Strike

After months of contract negotiations, the unionized nurses at the University of Vermont Medical Center are going on strike early Thursday. þþNurses voted overwhelmingly in June to authorize a two-day strike to last from 7 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Saturday. Last-ditch talks with medical center leadership failed Wednesday evening. þþA large inflatable ÿfat catÿ holding a bag of money, smoking a cigar and wearing a three-piece suit sprouted on the lawn near a picket line on Main Street this morning. Nurse Molly Waller said the cat is a symbol for what nurses see as an unfair discrepancy between University of Vermont Medical Center executive pay and the nurses pay. þþA major point of conflict in the negotiations has been pay. In a statement sent last night the hospital said it had raised it's proposed salary offer to a 14 percent increase over three years. The nurses union lowered its demand to a 23 percent raise in salaries over three years, according to the hospital. Those figures represent a 1 percentage point difference from proposals made on both sides earlier in negotiations. þþNurses and supporters received loud support (in the form of honks) from morning motorists as they demonstrated on the southern side of Colchester Avenue near UVM Medical Center's main hospital entrance.þþThe nurses made their own noise with several choice chants:þþÿSafe staffing saves lives!ÿþþÿWhat do we want? Fair contract. When do we want it? Now!ÿþþÿHey Brumsted what do you say how many bucks did you make today?ÿþþJohn Brumsted, who the nurses referenced in their chant, is the CEO of the medical center.þþEarlier in the morning, the marchers made a loop around the hospital campus and crossed East Avenue. It took several lights for all of them to make it across the road. They did not disrupt traffic.þþA medical center SUV was seen periodically patrolling the ranks as the marchers settled into place on Colchester Avenue.þþAmong the marchers were were several four-legged friends and Democratic candidate for governor James Ehlers.þþSeveral marchers were also carrying guitars but had yet to commence serenading the crowd.þþ