ST. LOUIS – Labor issues at Saint Louis University Hospital are intensifying Monday morning. Nurses at the hospital are set to start a one-day strike in just hours.
It will likely be a much different scene later Monday morning as nurses here hit the picket line for 24 hours starting at 7:00 a.m.
The union for the SLU nurses, National Nurses United, says the nurses are striking to protest what they call “the refusal of the hospital administration to address the RN’s deep concerns about patient care, safe staffing, and workplace violence.” The strike follows a 94% yes vote to authorize a strike back on September 1.
The union says nurses have given advance notice to the hospital to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care during the strike. The union says SLU hospital nurses have been in negotiations since May of this year for a new contract, but the union shared with FOX 2 that there has been little to no movement on key issues.
Those issues include the union urging the hospital to invest in the nursing staff and agree to a contract that addresses nurse retention and workplace violence prevention.
In a statement last week to FOX 2’s St. Louis Post-Disptach partners, SLU Hospital said, “We will have a comprehensive contingency plan in place to ensure there is no disruption in care or service for those we are privileged to serve. The statement goes on to read, “When the union is ready to engage, we remain committed to reaching an agreement that provides our nurses with a strong, market-competitive compensation and benefits package.”
Again, the strike is set to start here at 7:00 a.m. with a rally scheduled for 11:00 a.m. The strike is set to continue until 6:59 a.m. Tuesday.