Nurses at Chicago’s Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital plan to hold a one-day strike on June 11, in protest of what they’re saying is owner Prime Healthcare’s “retaliation” for their attempts to unionize.
The nurses filed their 10-day notice of the strike Monday. More than 400 registered nurses work at the Ukrainian Village hospital, according to the union.
The notice came less than two weeks after the nurses filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union election. The nurses hope to be represented by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United.
A Saint Mary’s spokesperson said in a statement that the hospital has plans in place to ensure uninterrupted hospital operations and patient care during the strike.
“Saint Mary’s of Nazareth Hospital respects the right of nurses to make their own decisions regarding union representation and to engage in lawful protected activity,” the hospital spokesperson said in the statement. “We have not and will not retaliate against employees for exercising their rights and have consistently applied longstanding hospital policies that protect safety and patient care.”
The nurses allege that several of their colleagues, who were leading the union campaign, were fired in the days after they filed their petition to hold a union election. The hospital told several nurses they were terminated partly for trespassing during their off hours, according to separation documents obtained by the Tribune.
“Patient care is our top concern and is at the forefront of our fight,” said intensive care unit nurse Brenda Hernández in a union news release. “We are striking because terminating experienced nurses has left the hospital short staffed. Nurses need a seat at the table to advocate for our patients.”
Nurses said they decided to seek unionization to advocate for themselves, protect patients and to have more of a voice at the hospital after Prime, a for-profit company, bought Saint Mary and seven other Illinois hospitals from nonprofit Ascension last year.
Prime has previously faced criticism for changes it made at other Illinois hospitals that were part of the sale.
Prime is based in California and has more than 50 hospitals across the country.
