BMC Nurses Could Strike Again: 'Refusal to Move on Key Issues'

The nurses at Berkshire Medical Center held a one-day strike back in October and it could very well happen again.

Following a two-day voting period, the registered nurses at BMC voted to give the bargaining committee the jurisdiction to call for another one-day strike. While that doesn't mean that they will move forward with another strike, it is now an option should it come to that, which will require a 10 day notice from the union.

"We brought our concerns to the public with a one-day strike in October and since then hospital administrators have refused to move on our key issues," said Alex Neary, the co-chair of the bargaining committee in a statement (h/t iBerkshires.com) "This is completely unacceptable. It is why today nurses have sent a clear message to BMC: Negotiate a fair contract that protects our patients!"

According to iBerkshires.com, 82 percent of the union's voters were in favor of the potential strike. The BMC nurses headed to the picket line on October 4 to voice their concerns to the community and fight for what they were hoping to receive, which a majority of them relate to patient safety and providing adequate staffing. Following the strike, BMC locked out the nurses for a period of four-days.

The union has been without a new contract since September 2016.