Baystate Noble Hospital nurses will hold an informational picket on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at noon following a community forum and survey showing overwhelming public support for preserving and improving services
WESTFIELD, Mass. – The registered nurses of Baystate Noble Hospital, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have scheduled a safe, socially distanced informational picket on Wednesday, October 21 at 12 p.m. outside the hospital.
Noble nurses, along with Massachusetts Jobs with Justice and community supporters, have also launched a public petition at bit.ly/supportnoblenurses urging Baystate Health CEO Dr. Mark Keroack to agree to a fair contract with Noble nurses that values the care they provide and improves and preserves local, quality care.
“Noble nurses will join with our community for an informational picket on October 21 to advocate for quality, local hospital services,” said Paul Dubin, RN and MNA Co-Chair at Noble Hospital. “We cared for our community during the COVID-19 surge earlier this year and we are prepared to battle a second surge if necessary. Yet Baystate Health will not agree to a fair contract that values our hard work and allows Noble Hospital to recruit and retain the nurses it needs.”
The informational picket was prompted, in part, by Baystate Health’s unfair labor practices and its focus on overtime, RN time off and other takeaways during ongoing contract negotiations. The picket will follow the release of a community survey showing overwhelming support among local residents for nurse proposals to preserve and improve local, quality services at Noble. Nurses and State Senator John Velis also held a virtual community forum featuring testimony about the need to preserve and improve local, high-quality services from nurses, community leaders, emergency response personnel, mental health advocates, patients, and family members.
Additional information on Baystate Noble nurses’ fight for the future of their community hospital: www.massnurses.org/NobleInfo.
Unfair Labor Practice Charges
Noble nurses filed unfair labor practice charges on October 7 with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) after Baystate Health refused for failure to provide information necessary for bargaining. More about the charges: https://www.massnurses.org/news-and-events/p/openItem/11839
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