Boston, Massachusetts: Brigham Nurses Reject Final Contract Offer and Keep a Strike Possible

Nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston have voted to reject the contract offer that Mass General Brigham called its last, best and final offer, the Massachusetts Nurses Association said. The vote keeps a strike possible at one of Boston's largest hospitals, although no new strike date has been announced.

The union said voting ran over two days, on Thursday, October 22 and Friday, October 23, and that a majority of the nurses who voted were against the offer. The association did not release the vote count. Its bargaining committee represents more than 4,000 Brigham nurses.

What each side says

Kelly Morgan, a labor and delivery nurse who chairs the bargaining committee, said the result showed the nurses' resolve. "A foundational principle of our union is that every nurse's voice matters," Morgan said. "This vote shows the resolve of Brigham nurses, who are fighting for patient safety and for the professional respect we deserve. It's time for MGB to return to the table ready to negotiate in good faith to reach a fair agreement that recognizes the value of Brigham nurses and the expertise they offer."

Mass General Brigham said its proposal reflected the hospital's commitment to investing in its nurses while supporting long-term sustainability, and that the offer kept Brigham nursing pay among the highest in the market. Chief Nursing Officer Julia Mason said the rejection does not mean a strike will come next, and that the next steps are up to the union's bargaining committee.

The pay gap at the center of the talks

Contract talks have been running for the past year. The health system presented the final offer on October 10. Nurses have been seeking a 3 percent raise for the first six months of a new contract, followed by a 4 percent raise during the next 12 months. The offer that was rejected added 2.5 percent annual raises for nurses who had reached the maximum years of service on all scales, but it did not include the across-the-board increases the union sought.

The bargaining committee said it has formally asked Mass General Brigham to return to negotiations in the coming week, and the committee was set to meet this week to discuss next steps. Reports over the weekend said the health system had not yet answered that request.

What Boston patients should know

No strike is scheduled. The strike authorization the nurses approved in September remains active, and in that September 24 vote nurses backed an open-ended strike by 2,986 to 215, about 93 percent in favor. Union leaders retain the authority to call a strike, but any new walkout would require 10 days' notice, so patients with surgery, cancer treatment or births planned at the Brigham would get warning before a walkout began. The nurses held a one-day strike on July 8 during this contract fight.

For now, the hospital is operating while both sides decide whether talks resume. The union said the nurses remain ready to resume talks at any time to resolve the dispute for the good of the community.