The nurses union at Madison's Meriter Hospital, SEIU Wisconsin, gave notice that they will go on a five day strike starting May 27 due to a breakdown in negotiations.
From Eric Gunn of Wisconsin Reporter:
Nurses at Madison’s Meriter hospital plan to walk off the job for five days starting Tuesday, May 27, after negotiations on a new union contract ended Monday night without an agreement.
The hospital management and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Wisconsin, which represents about 950 nurses at the hospital, are divided over pay, security provisions and whether the hospital should commit to specific ratios of how many patients are under a nurse’s care.
“Nurses have been clear with Meriter management that we will strike for patient and staff safety, improved compensation to retain nurses, and staffing solutions that include the voices of bedside nurses who care for patients day in and day out,” declared a union statement issued Tuesday morning. “Meriter is still not listening to the nurses.”
If the strike goes forward, it is scheduled to last for five days, with union members returning on Sunday, June 1.
It should be noted that the management of Meriter tried to bullshit the public by claiming that they had another negotiations date set for May 26, which is Memorial Day. The union is denying that they ever agreed to that date.
Until a contract is ratified, we stand in solidarity with the nurses at Meriter. People's lives are at stake, and not just those of the patients, and management shouldn't be playing games right now.
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