Nurses at Quincy Medical Center have reached a one-year agreement on wages and staffing with Steward Health Care. In a joint press release, Steward officials and the leadership of the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United said the agreement affirms their mutual commitment to the hospital’s viability and staffing levels that assure quality patient care. —PatriotLedger.com, 06/13/13 More »
After hearing, the state Department of Public Health has weighed in on Morton Hospital’s plan to close its pediatric unit, calling the pediatric services “essential” for the community. —Taunton Gazette, 06/11/13 More »
Hospital’s pediatric unit, slated to close next month, provides critical access to health care for children in the Taunton region, according to a strongly worded state finding that, though not binding, is meant to pressure the hospital to reconsider. More »
The Department of Public Health has just issued its findings regarding the proposed plan by Cambridge Health Alliance to close its nationally recognized child psychiatric unit for the care of young children with acute mental illness (see the letter attached) The DPH finds that this unit provides an essential service that is “necessary for preserving access and health status in the Cambridge Hospital’s service area, which for the children and adolescents it serves extends throughout Eastern Massachusetts.” —Massachusetts Nurses Association/NNU, 05/24/13 More »
WORCESTER - Thursday's nurses' strike at UMass Memorial Medical Center's University Campus was averted and a tentative three-year contract agreement was reached between hospital management and the union representing 1,100 nurses on Wednesday. The agreement was reached after 18 months of negotiations. —The Republican-Massachusetts, 05/23/13 More »
TAUNTON—State health officials were in town Tuesday to hear arguments for and against Morton Hospital's plan to close its 13-bed pediatric unit. The Department of Public Health held the hearing, which took place at the Taunton Public Library, as part of a state review of the hospital's proposal. —TauntonGazette.com, 05/22/13 More »
WORCESTER — The nurses’ strike is on. Union officials representing 1,100 nurses at UMass Memorial Medical Center — University Campus and hospital management spent four hours negotiating Monday afternoon but failed to reach a deal. —Massachusetts Nurses Association, 05/21/13 More »
If the strike plans go through, it would be the largest nurses strike in the state’s history, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United. The strike would see more than 2,000 nurses walk off the job to protest cuts in nursing and support staff in the past two years, which they insist will greatly affect patient care. —Examiner.com, 05/15/13 More »
Residents of Deerfield cast an overwhelming vote last night to approve a resolution placed on the warrant for the 2013 Annual Town Meeting, which calls upon Baystate Health System to ensure and maintain a broad range of health services at nearby Baystate Franklin Medical Center and to prevent the further erosion of services once available at BFMC that are now only offered in Springfield. The full text of the resolution can be found at the end of this release. —Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United, 04/30/13 More »
Nurses and officials at Quincy Medical Center plan to negotiate Monday morning in an effort to avert a one-day strike planned for next Thursday. Talks between the nurses and the hospital’s parent company, Steward Health Care, were scheduled by a federal mediator and will focus on staffing levels, the main issue in dispute. —The Boston Globe, 04/06/13 More »
HAVERHILL — Nurses took to the street near Merrimack Valley Hospital in Haverhill yesterday to call attention to what they think is an alarming trend at some local hospitals. —The Eagle Tribune, 04/06/13 More »
As I write this letter, I am surrounded by my own young children’s playful laughter and I am both sad and angry for the community I have cared for over the years. This is a dark day for the families of our community. —Taunton Daily Gazette, 04/02/13 More »
Area nurses and healthcare advocates met in Worcester with the Health Policy Commission on Friday to fight against mandatory overtime practices being used at local hospitals to skirt the issue of poor staffing. —GoLocalWorcester, 02/25/13 More »
BROCKTON -- Nurses union leaders are hopeful they will see changes at the Brockton Multi-Service Center after sitting down with the state’s mental health commissioner. —EnterpriseNews.com, 01/14/13 More »
The Massachusetts Nurses Association hailed the announcement today. “We applaud the decision,” said David Schildmeier, MNA communications director. “It's something we've been advocating for well over a year.” He said, “This is a very important development for those suffering from mental illness in Massachusetts, as this will preserve psychiatric beds at a time when there is a dramatic and dangerous shortage of those beds.” —Telegram, 10/11/12 More »
Nurses at Baystate Franklin Medical Center returned to work at 7 a.m. on Saturday after their 24-hour strike. The strike began at 7 a.m. Friday. The next negotiation session between the Massachusetts Nurses Association and Baystate Franklin Medical Center is set for Oct. 25. —Several Sources, 10/09/12 More »
WORCESTER — UMass Memorial Health Care said Tuesday it will eliminate 140 positions as it seeks to find $80 million in budget cuts and new revenue for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. —Telegram.com , 09/25/12 More »
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON A member of Senate President Therese Murray’s leadership team predicted Thursday that the Senate would support blocking a Patrick administration move to shutter Taunton State Hospital, a mental health facility that serves the state’s southeast region. More »
STATE HOUSE, BOSTON--Nurses from around the state, joined by a slew of legislators, urged passage of a nurse staffing law, saying they have battled too long for a bill they say would save patients’ lives. —STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE, 01/25/12 More »
Instead of the inflatable rat that has become ho-hum at union protests in New York, a giant three-headed dog with fangs was the effigy on display as about 250 unionized nurses rallied outside the Midtown headquarters of the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. —New York Times, 12/20/11 More »
