The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) has announced that approximately 500 nurses from Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital (BWFH) have reached a tentative contract agreement, averting a planned one-day strike. 

The agreement, finalised on 19 September, will help in securing significant investment in nursing staff to enhance patient care. 

The signing of this agreement comes after nurses were set to strike on 1 October, demanding wage parity with Brigham and Women's Hospital nurses to address unsafe staffing and patient safety issues.  

Mass General Brigham (MGB) has now agreed to a contract that acknowledges the complexity of the nurses' work and aims to improve recruitment and retention at BWFH. 

Following months of negotiations and a strike authorisation vote where 99.7% of nurses were in favour, the MNA provided a legally required 10 days' strike notice on 16 September.  

A subsequent meeting with management and a federal mediator on 19 September led to the tentative agreement. 

The agreement includes significant raises of 25% to 33% over three years for the nurses, depending on their position on the wage scale, as well as full retroactive pay and other improvements.  

The full membership of the BWFH MNA must now ratify the agreement through a vote, the MNA said. 

Faulkner registered nurse (RN) and MNA Bargaining Committee co-chair Dan Rec said: “We are excited to announce this tentative agreement, reached due to the power and solidarity of Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital nurses. 

“We joined together for our patients, pushing MGB to invest more in BWFH nurses so the hospital can address nurses leaving and unsafe staffing conditions.” 

The MNA, founded in 1903, represents more than 25,000 members and is committed to advancing the nursing profession, promoting nurses' welfare in the workplace, and advocating for healthcare issues that affect nurses and the public. 

Faulkner RN MNA Bargaining Committee co-chair Kathy Glennon said: “We are incredibly proud of this contract agreement that reflects our priority of improving BWFH nurse staffing and making sure all of our patients get the care they deserve. 

“Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital nurses care deeply about our patients and our hospital. We owe our success to the unity our nurses have shown throughout this bargaining process.”