ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Nurses at Rochester General Hospital will go on strike on Oct. 23, announced operating room nurse Lindsay Rockefeller in an exclusive live interview with News10NBC TODAY on Thursday.
Members of the Rochester Union of Nurses and Allied Professionals (RUNAP) voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to go on the second strike of this year. Polls closed with 91% of nurses in favor of going on a five-day strike, which will be longer than the first.
RUNAP will deliver the strike notice to hospital leaders at 8 a.m. Rockefeller said hospital leaders can avoid the strike if they agree on a deal.
“The nurses are feeling very hopeful that RGH will finally sit down and start negotiating with us and settle a fair, strong contract,” she said.
Nurses voted to go on strike after the union and hospital leaders failed to negotiate a contract on wages, staffing, benefits, and other work conditions. The two sides have met during 23 collective bargaining sessions since last October, all ending without a contract.
RUNAP leaders say they deserve better pay and staffing shortages have created a danger to patients. The union says 82% of the hospital is not hitting the state-mandated staffing minimums, meaning nurses are caring for too many patients at once. Last week, RUNAP held a candlelight vigil to recognize what they call a risk to patients because of staffing shortages.
The union held a two-day strike in August where nurses picketed outside of RGH’s main entrance and down Portland Avenue. The strike didn’t impact patient care and the hospital temporarily contracted hundreds of nurses.
The nurses unionized last year and are trying to reach their first ever contract. RUNAP represented nearly 900 nurses and allied professionals.
RGH released this statement before the results of the vote were in: “We are disappointed the union is threatening another strike when we’re still actively negotiating and working hard to reach a deal.”
RGH says their latest offer includes a 6% increase to all RNs after a contract is reached along with a 20% average increase over four years.
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