Nurse proposals focus on patient safety

Registered nurses at St. Joseph Health in Brazos Valley, Texas, will hold a rally on Wednesday, April 22 as they begin negotiations for their first contract, following their decisive vote to form a union last year, announced National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). Nurses say safe staffing, workplace safety, and a strong voice for nurses will be their top priorities as they start negotiations.

The union nurses work at hospitals in Bryan and College Station and three critical access facilities: St. Joseph Health Burleson Hospital in Caldwell, St. Joseph Health Grimes Hospital in Navasota, and St. Joseph Health Madison Hospital in Madisonville.

“Registered nurses in the Brazos Valley are ready to fight for our patients at the bargaining table to ensure that they get the best care,” said Katie Oberhelman, RN at St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan, Texas. “St. Joseph nurses organized with NNOC/NNU to be able to have a say in patient and employee safety. We want to enforce safe staffing and protect the quality of care that our community deserves.”

Who: RNs at St. Joseph Health, Brazos Valley
What: Contract bargaining kick-off and patient safety rally
When: Wednesday, April 22, 7:00-7:30 a.m.
Where: St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital, 1604 Rock Prairie Rd., College Station, Texas

St. Joseph Health nurses voted to unionize in December 2025 in the wake of management’s refusal to address numerous patient safety issues, including chronic understaffing and unsafe working conditions.

“We are committed to ensuring registered nurses have a seat at the table when it comes to patient care in our community,” said Jessica Crouch, RN at St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan, Texas. “As patient advocates, St. Joseph nurses are prepared to bargain a union contract that holds management accountable and prioritizes patient care over corporate profits.”

NNOC/NNU represents more than 700 registered nurses who are part of St. Joseph Health, which is part of CommonSpirit Health. NNOC/NNU represents more than 17,000 nurses at 33 CommonSpirit Health facilities across the country. 

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.