More than 3,000 healthcare workers at the University of Vermont Medical Center have authorized a strike.
AFT Vermont says management offered its final proposal for support and technical staff last week but the union says the proposal would worsen safe staffing. Its bargaining team unanimously moved to conduct a strike authorization vote. On Friday the union announced that 82% of their members approved a strike. If an agreement is not reached the next step would be filing a 10-day notice. If the strike occurs, the union says it would be the largest-ever strike by healthcare workers in Vermont.
A statement from UVM Health says in part: “We appreciate that, while the union has secured the votes necessary to strike, they have yet to issue formal notice, which gives us the opportunity to continue productive discussions. It is our genuine belief that we can work together to avoid a strike and finalize a strong contract.”
