Press Release
New Orleans nurses prepare for two-day strike against management retaliation
Nurses at University Medical Center striking July 15 and 16 after nurse leaders face retaliatory discipline from LCMC Health
Nurses at University Medical Center New Orleans (UMCNO) in New Orleans, La., are moving forward with their strike to protest LCMC Health’s retaliation against nurses for their union activity and patient advocacy.
Nurses at UMCNO, represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) are striking for two days starting July 15. They are outraged that LCMC management has engaged in a troubling pattern of coming after experienced nurses advocating for their patients and co-workers. They will also hold rallies at 8:30 a.m. both days with speakers.
“Singling out pro-union nurses shows that LCMC is using discipline to retaliate against us,” said Dana Judkins, RN in the trauma intensive care unit at UMCNO. “We’re striking to let them know we won’t tolerate retribution for advocating for ourselves and our patients.”
Who: Nurses at University Medical Center New Orleans
What: Two-day strike against management retaliation
When: Tuesday, July 15, 7 a.m. to Thursday, July 17, 6:59 a.m.
Rallies with speakers: 8:30 a.m. both days
Where: University Medical Center New Orleans, 2000 Canal St., New Orleans, La.; at the corner of Canal St. and Galvez St.
“Patient safety is always nurses’ top concern,” said Dorothy Stencel, RN in clinical research at UMCNO. “We’re striking because disciplining experienced nurses like this has removed good nurses from the bedside.
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.
National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.