Baltimore nurses plan to strike over concerns about patient care, staffing and turnover
Nurses at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore are planning to strike over concerns about patient care, staffing and high turnover, according to National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).
The one-day strike planned for July 24 comes after union leaders said hospital management has refused to address the issues. The strike was unanimously approved in a vote on May 16.
"At Saint Agnes, providing safe, quality care remains our top priority," hospital leaders said in a statement. "We are fully prepared to remain open and continue providing compassionate, quality care during this short-term strike. A comprehensive contingency plan is in place to ensure there is no disruption in care or service for those we are privileged to serve."
Baltimore hospital nurses plan historic strike
According to union leaders, this would be the first time hospital nurses in Baltimore hold a strike. NNOC/NNU represents about 600 nurses at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital.
The nurses gave the hospital 10 days of advanced notice to ensure time for alternative care plans.
Nurses at Ascension Saint Agnes have been in contract negotiations since January 2024. According to union leaders, there has been little movement on key issues.
"Saint Agnes remains committed to resolving issues at the bargaining table to reach agreement on a contract that respects our nurses' right to choose whether or not to be dues-paying union members, addresses safe staffing and provides market-competitive wages," hospital leaders said in a statement.
Union leaders said more than 10% of Ascension nurses left their jobs between April and July of 2024 due to the chronic issues.
"Ascension is continuously over-reliant on floating nurses to other units to plug the staffing holes they intentionally create. But the hospital is not consistently tracking nurses' competencies and assigns us to work in units we often aren't trained to work in," said Gideon Eziama, RN in the cardiology/telemetry unit.
Floating is a practice where nurses are reassigned to areas of the hospital that they do not usually work in, union leaders said.
Baltimore nurses raise concerns
Union leaders said the nurses at Ascension Saint Agnes have held multiple rallies during the last 18 months of contract negotiations.
The nurses are urging hospital management to agree to a contract that includes safe staffing numbers and floating procedures that allow nurses to work in units where they have expertise.
"We want to give our patients the best care at all times, but that is difficult to do when we are stretched too thin," said Nicki Horvat, RN, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
In a statement, Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital leaders said they are committed to bargaining to reach a successful conclusion to contract negotiations while continuing to care for patients during the strike.
