As the nurses’ strike at Saint Vincent Hospital approaches nine months, Tenet Healthcare on Wednesday announced an agreement at MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital, representing the third in the state since the work stoppage in Worcester.
The agreement at MetroWest Medical Center involves the the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), which represents approximately 75 mental health counselors and patient care associates at the behavioral health facility, Tenet said.
The two sides reached a 30-month agreement on Nov. 1 and the employees ratified it on Nov. 22.
This collective bargaining agreement joins the contracts agreed upon between MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in July, and between Saint Vincent Hospital and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) in March.
“These contracts show that Saint Vincent Hospital, MetroWest Medical Center and Tenet overall are consistently good partners in negotiating with the labor unions at their hospitals,” Tenet said in a statement. “It is time for the MNA to show its willingness to collaborate by reducing their rhetoric, sitting down to get a return to work agreement done, and bringing all of the nurses back as we head into the winter season.”
In Worcester, about 700 nurses remain out of work due to a strike, which began on March 8.
The nurses began the strike demanding Tenet Healthcare, the Dallas-based parent company of Saint Vincent’s, improve staffing.
While most of the disagreements have been resolved, a return to work agreement has extended the strike.
The hospital has hired hundreds of replacement nurses throughout the strike with many of the newly hired nurses working in positions previously held by striking nurses.
While Saint Vincent Hospital has said the majority of nurses would return to their previous positions, the MNA has said it will not end the strike until every nurse is guaranteed their old position.
Last week, the Department of Public Health threatened to fine Saint Vincent Hospital if it doesn’t address a plan regarding the temporary closure of its inpatient behavioral health beds.
Saint Vincent Hospital informed the state on July 28 that it would close 10 behavioral health beds, leaving 10. On Aug. 12, it told the state it would close the remaining 10. Saint Vincent CEO Carolyn Jackson cited the nurses’ strike as to the reason for the closures.
The closure of all the beds triggered an essential service hearing, which address the hospital’s requirement to either begin the closure of the hospital’s inpatient behavioral health services or immediately plan to reopen these essential services.
Failure to meet these requirements could result in a fine of no less than $1,000 and no more than $10,000 for each day the deficiency continues.
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