LAS VEGAS, Nevada (FOX5) – MountainView Hospital registered nurses voted to strike Wednesday after a union spokesman said the hospital had refused to “address numerous issues related to patient safety.”
National Nurses United, a union representing about 950 nurses in MountainView, says the strike was approved by 98 percent of participants. While the vote does not guarantee a strike, it does authorize bargaining participants on behalf of the nurses to call a strike if they deem it necessary in negotiations.
The nurses have the option to call off the strike at any time if an agreement is reached with HCA. However, if the nurses decide to strike, hospital management will be given 10 days’ notice to allow time to plan patient care.
“We have been at the bargaining table for more than four months and HCA refuses to take the necessary steps to improve conditions for nurses and patients at our hospital,” said Elizabeth Rodriguez, a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit. “We see how patient care suffers when we do not have the resources and support we need. As patient advocates, we are compelled to take this strike authorization vote to make it clear to HCA that we take patient care seriously. Every patient deserves the best care possible and HCA has a moral and ethical responsibility to do everything in its power to make that happen.”
NNU began negotiating its new contract with HCA in April, saying its last contract expired on June 30.
FOX5 has reached out to MountainView Hospital for comment on the union election, but has not yet received a response.
Check back later for updates on this story.
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