Saint Vincent: 15% of union nurses stayed on the job

Photo | Grant Welker Nurses picketing outside Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester

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By Grant Welker

Hundreds of unionized nurses at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester walked off the job on the first day of a strike Monday, but nearly 15% continued to work, the hospital said Tuesday.

Those 115 nurses were joined by replacement nurses Saint Vincent previously said it had arranged for days in advance in anticipation of the strike, which followed a breakdown in negotiations after 18 months.

"It sends a strong message to the MNA that not all nurses are in support of this strike," Saint Vincent CEO Carolyn Jackson said in a statement, referring to the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

Union nurses at Saint Vincent have alleged the hospital has not agreed to safe ratios of nurses to patients at a time when its for-profit parent company, Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare, has enjoyed large profits during the coronavirus pandemic. The hospital has defended its staffing ratios and criticized the union for its willingness for nurses to walk off the job.

"We remain hopeful that the MNA will return to the negotiating table soon, but can confidently say that Saint Vincent will remain fully operational until that happens," Jackson said in a staff memo late Monday.

The first day of the strike didn't affect patient care, according to the hospital, with more than 200 inpatient cases and hundreds of outpatient cases cared for. The hospital said it didn't cancel any scheduled operations. It also had observers from the state Department of Public Health and Department of Mental Health to ensure appropriate quality and staffing and reported no issues, Saint Vincent said.