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St. Vincent nurses bolstered by legislative, union support at rally Saturday

Kim Ring
Telegram & Gazette
Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO, addresses the crowd at the rally for striking St. Vincent nurses Saturday.

WORCESTER - Fiery speeches provided a shot of adrenaline for striking nurses at St. Vincent Hospital Saturday as they close in on their 100th day on the picket line.

Among those rallying the nurses at a large event in the parking lot on East Central Street was Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO.

"This strike is serious stuff," she told the crowd, adding that they'd been off the job for 97 days.

"Was it for yourselves? For your own greed? No, it was for your patients," she said. "It was for your communities. It was for the fact that we believe in this country that health care should not be a commodity, it should be a human right."

More:After three months, St. Vincent Hospital nurses and Tenet talking, just not to each other

She pointed to nurses from New York who were showing support in person and through online videos.

"Now Tenet," she said, naming the hospital's Texas-based owner. "This is really about union busting. This is really about trying to drive productivity of the American worker even higher so they can put all those profits in their pockets."

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern and Mayor Joe Petty joined to support with the striking nurses of St. Vincent Hospital.

She said that move is especially disgusting in hospitals.

Hundreds of people who held signs and rallied for the nurses signed a large petition to be delivered to Tenet as the crowd chanted, "One day longer, one day stronger."

The nurses also garnered continued support from U.S. Rep. James McGovern and Sen. Elizabeth A. Warren.

Warren said the situation at St. Vincent is being watched across the nation. Asked if President Joseph Biden was aware of the strike, Warren told the Telegram & Gazette she believes he is.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined to support with the striking nurses of St. Vincent Hospital.

"We have a president who cares about working people," she said. "And he's going to stand with the nurses, not with the corporation that is putting profits ahead of patients."

Warren told the nurses they are the backbone of the healthcare system and she urged Tenet to "get back to the bargaining table."

McGovern, a strong supporter of the nurses, was passionate speaking for the nurses and encouraging them as the strike marches on.

"To the management of Tenet, let me say this: This is our city. These are our nurses and this is our hospital and we are sick and tired of you tearing down this once-great hospital," he said. "We want our hospital back."

He said in response to the hospital's move to hire replacement nurses, "these nurses are irreplaceable."

On Friday, St. Vincent Hospital released a response to a letter from Sens. Warren and Edward Markey, and Reps. McGovern and Lori Trahan and Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty. This response came from the Board of Directors of Tenet Healthcare.

"In the response to the delegation, Tenet reiterated the hospital’s ongoing commitment to quality care. The company also respectfully responded to concerns expressed in the letter regarding the decision to hire permanent replacement nurses in order to stabilize its nursing workforce and support continuity of high-quality patient care for the community," St. Vincent officials said in a press release.

Hospital officials also charged that "the MNA has recently publicly informed their members that they intend to stay on strike until September."

The hospital said in the release that the MNA is responsible for the current state of the negotiations.

"Its bargaining committee has continued to include other unreasonable requests, not related to 4:1 staffing, including the creation of a new top step for the most-tenured nurses and further wage increases to the highest-paid nurses only a request for a pension plan as well as adding significantly more staff in the ER without additional patients," the hospital's officials wrote.

"A request for a pension plan as well as adding significantly more staff in the ER without additional patients. Its bargaining committee has refused to put any of our offers to its members for a vote," they said.

Meanwhile, the nurses were bolstered by support from AFL-CIO Chairman Steven Tolman and Joseph Carlson, the group's vice president.

Members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and the Entertainment Workers Union also showed their support.

Signs from the supporters of the nurses on strike at St. Vincent Hospital.