Nurses standing in a picket line outside St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts.Photo: Getty Images
WORCESTER, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The nurse's strike at St. Vincent's Hospital in Worcester reached a new stage over the weekend, as the hospital announced it had hired permanent replacements for the nurses on the picket lines.
After what the hospital called its "Last, best and final offer" last week, the company announced the hiring of 138 new nurses, most of whom are already working at the hospital.
St. Vincent said in a release that it won't negotiate any of its "final offer” and plans on posting more jobs in the coming days.
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The Massachusetts Nurses Association told WBZ NewsRadio that they do not believe in the validity of this effort. The nurses, striking since March 8, are seeking staffing increases at St. Vincent’s which is owned by Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare.
“This is just another in a series of cynical ploys by Tenet to intimidate the nurses instead of engaging in a good faith negotiation,” the MNA said.
They also urged the hospital to get the 700 striking nurses back into St. Vincent’s, who have “served the Greater Worcester community for more the last 40 years with care and distinction.”
The Associated Press says hospital officials accused the MNA of having “minimal interest of intention to end the strike.” However, the MNA said they are in communication with the federal mediator to determine the most productive means of finding an equitable solution to end the strike.
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