New Orleans nurses strike again

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Nurses on strike line

RNs at University Medical Center strike for fourth time

By Lucy Diavolo

National Nurse magazine - July | August | September 2025 Issue

Nurses at University Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO) in New Orleans, La., held their fourth strike in July. The RNs, represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU), walked off the job for two days to protest LCMC Health’s retaliation against nurses for their union activity and patient advocacy. 

Nurses were outraged that LCMC management has engaged in a troubling pattern of going after experienced nurses advocating for their patients and coworkers, a pattern that includes the termination of Mike Robertshaw, RN, and recent disciplinary action against Wanda Williams, RN. Nurses say that management is clearly looking for reasons to discipline outspoken patient advocates who support their union and fight to improve working conditions.

“LCMC wants to single out nurses, but we stood together on the strike line saying this isn’t okay,” said Williams, a nurse of 37 years who works in the observation unit at UMCNO. “Instead of working with us to make UMCNO a better hospital for everyone, management is trying to scare us and punish us for supporting our union and our patients. We’re concerned that they will continue to escalate against other nurses they deem undesirable.” 

UMCNO nurses have been in negotiations since March 2024 for a new contract following their vote to join NNOC/NNU in December 2023. NNOC/NNU represents more than 600 nurses at UMCNO.

“We won’t be bullied out of fighting for our patients and our coworkers,” said Robertshaw, RN in the burn intensive care unit at UMCNO. “LCMC is clearly looking for reasons to discipline pro-union nurses instead of working with us. We started our union to make UMC a better place to get care and a better place to work, and it’s disappointing that LCMC will make excuses to punish us when it’s clear their real goal is silencing nurses. This all demonstrates why we need to get the contract done.” 

Lucy Diavolo is a communications specialist at National Nurses United.