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Baystate Franklin Nurses File Unfair Labor Practice Charges

Facebook: Massachusetts Nurses Association

Nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center say they have filed six federal unfair labor practice charges against hospital owner Baystate Health. 

The Massachusetts Nurses Association represents about 200 nurses at the Greenfield hospital. Donna Stern, senior chair of the MNA’s bargaining unit at Baystate, says staff-patient levels are unsafe.

“They [hospital management] are calling, texting nurses every day because there’s so many holes,” Stern said. “There’s nurses working overtime. They’re breaking the mandatory overtime law. Forcing nurses to stay. What that does is it puts our patients at risk.”

Stern says contract negotiations, which have been ongoing since November 2016, allow the MNA to hold Baystate accountable. The nurses are planning a rally Thursday at the Greenfield Common at 4:30 p.m.

Baystate Health's spokesman Ben Craft sent the following statement to WAMC.

"Baystate Franklin is a safe and high-quality hospital, as affirmed by its recent honor as one of the top 100 rural and community hospitals in America--the only hospital in Massachusetts so named. We continue to conduct our negotiations with the MNA in good faith and with the intent to reach a fair agreement. We call on the MNA to maintain a constructive approach to negotiations, and to keep in mind the most important stakeholders in our discussions, the patients and communities we serve."

Jim is WAMC’s Associate News Director and hosts WAMC's flagship news programs: Midday Magazine, Northeast Report and Northeast Report Late Edition. Email: jlevulis@wamc.org
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