Nurses at LCMC Health’s University Medical Center raised the possibility of going on strike at a demonstration Wednesday (July 17) protesting both safety conditions at the hospital and the pace of negotiations with hospital administrators over a union contract.
In December, nurses at the hospital voted to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee and form Louisiana’s first private sector hospital union. In March, negotiations over their first contact began. The union wants the hospital to increase worker compensation and benefits, include nurse supervisors in the union, and address staffing shortages and quality of patient care to prevent workplace violence against nurses.
But in the months since negotiations began, nurses say that hospital administrators have been unreceptive to their proposals.
So, the nurses union and their supporters gathered under cloudy skies to talk about potentially going on strike and to raise awareness about workplace violence at the hospital. Union organizers with NNOC passed forms through the crowd, which members could sign to affirm their commitment to participate if the bargaining team calls for a strike and a majority of the union’s members proceeds to vote yes.
Hailey Dupré, a nurse on the union’s bargaining committee, said union members are prepared for the possibility of a strike.
“They’re ready to fight for what we want,” Dupré said. “I mean, we would love for it to not happen, but if we’re pushed to that we’re ready.”
Because nurses work closely with patients, they are at high risk for both physical and emotional violence, according to the American Nurses Association, which found that 1 in 4 nurses are assaulted while many incidents go unreported. Lauren Waddell, a nurse on the bargaining team, said LCMC administration has been dismissive of nurses’ fears.
“They’re not the ones who are…the frontline workers,” Waddell told Verite News at the protest. “They are kind of tucked away in C-suites. So for them to discount our emotions and our experiences is very concerning.”
The nurses are trying to address the violence issue through a proposal in the collective bargaining agreement requiring the hospital to have metal detectors at every entrance and fair disciplinary procedures that protect nurse advocacy.
Nurse safety
The well-being of nurses is associated with lower hospital death rates and patients feeling more satisfied with the care they’re receiving, according to studies published in 2011 and 2021. Patient health is threatened by increased rates of nurse burnout nationwide and, in order to decrease burnout, researchers of the 2021 study recommended that hospitals improve staffing and involve nurses in decision-making processes.
“When nurses are safe, it allows us to focus on our task at hand,” Waddell said. “Oftentimes, workplace violence can cause us to be distracted because we’re taking our time away from medication passes or various bedside treatments to de-escalate violence, whereas that energy could be used to directly take care of our patients.”
A spokesperson for LCMC Health did not respond to questions on the hospital’s approach to worker safety. The spokesperson did refer a reporter to a recent newsletter the corporation sent out to employees with details of employee safety measures.
The newsletter states that the hospital is posting signage saying “There is zero tolerance for aggressive behavior” and plans to install security cameras in elevators and stairwells.
In the newsletter, LCMC said it’s also encouraging workers to join safety committees and workshops to discuss safety measures. The hospital has also purchased hand-held metal detectors.
But Dana Judkins, another nurse on the union’s bargaining committee, said none of this is enough to make her feel safe going to work.
“We’re glad that they’re trying to give us something but we don’t feel like it’s enough,” Judkins said. “We need it all over the hospital, every entrance.”
Stalled negotiations
Members of the nurses’ union bargaining team claim that hospital administration has accused the union of being antagonistic. On June 3, dozens of nurses were supposed to speak to the administration about their demands. Dupré said LCMC representatives walked out and never returned for the bargaining session. She said the nurses waited hours for the administration to return.
LCMC did not respond to requests from Verite News for comment regarding the bargaining date.
“It’s evident that [hospital administration is], you know, trying to exhaust us,” Dupré said.
Terry Mogilles, a member of the nurses union who has been in the profession for over four decades, said that hospital administration’s actions have been “insulting and demoralizing.”
Despite the palpable feelings of frustration towards hospital administration, the picket was also a moment of cultural celebration. Union members and their supporters marched, danced and chanted for better quality patient care and better nurse-patient ratios while a second line played on. Judkins said the organizing they are doing for better workplace conditions at UMC could have a ripple effect on other hospitals in the South.
“I feel like this is gonna open the doors for a lot of other hospitals in the area and for the South in general to not be scared to unionize, to not be scared to speak up for ourselves and our patients,” Judkins said.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said 90% of the union had to vote to go on strike. A majority of the union members have to vote yes in order to authorize a strike.
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