NEW ORLEANS — Nurses at University Medical Center said they plan to go on strike during Super Bowl week after negotiations on their first union contract stalled again.
They're planning a two-day strike starting on Wednesday, Feb. 5. Nearly 600 nurses will participate in the strike, according to NOLA.com.
This will be the second strike by UMC nurses who said LCMC Health is stalling at the negotiating table. The strike comes after vote to unionize in December 2023.
"Because the Super Bowl is considered a “peak event,” the contract agency that will send in around 300 fill-in nurses requires a five-day minimum, according to CEO John Nickens, meaning regular nursing staff will be absent through Sunday, Feb. 9," our partners reported.
Nurses stated they are striking due to concerns about insufficient staffing and delays in addressing contract proposals.
Their priorities include higher pay, improved nurse-to-patient ratios, and enhanced workplace safety. Kisha Montes, a behavioral health nurse at UMC since 2008, emphasized that losing nurses to better-paying jobs elsewhere only makes the work harder for everyone.
Strikes cost LCMC Health around $2 million daily, largely due to the expense of bringing in travel nurses, CEO Greg Feirn shared in an interview last year, NOLA.com.
LCMC Health said despite the planned strike, the hospital will be able to meet all the needs of their patients.
Source: wwltv.com
