Amid contract negotiations set for today, unionized nurses are considering a second one-day strike at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
It took months for the Massachusetts Nurses Association to organize its October strike to picket for what nurses call “safe patient care improvements” at Berkshire Medical Center.
Multiple votes are required to authorize a strike.
BMC is concerned a strike authorization vote could be as held any day.
Nurse Mark Brodeur says the two groups have been at a contract impasse for 16 months.
“The ball has been in their court and they have failed to bring any sort of proposal,” Brodeur says.
The hospital contends it made its “best and final” contract offer in May.
The hospital’s chief nursing officer sent a letter to nurses Monday, asking them to remain hopeful during negotiation sessions and urging them to avoid another strike.
This story will be updated with the negotiation results.