From Staff Reports 

Registered nurses at Ashevlle-based Mission Hospital recently voted 97 percent in favor to authorize a strike — if necessary during contract negotiations — against HCA Healthcare, Carolina Public Press reported on Sept. 3.

“Nurses continue to make sure their voices are heard both by HCA and by the public that they demand a safer workplace and better patient care, among other requirements, to avoid a nurses strike,” Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) added.

Specifically, the TV station said it received a news release on Sept. 2 stating that the nurses “favored authorizing their nurse bargaining team to call a strike, should they deem it necessary, stating that HCA has refused to address numerous patient safety issues. The nurses are represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United.

“Nurses say they’re frustrated with management’s refusal to move forward on key nurse proposals regarding nurse retention and ensuring meal and rest breaks for them, the release said.” 

“RNs engaged at the bargaining table say HCA, which took over the hospital in 2019, has failed to meet their demands, which they say are essential to safe, high-quality patient care,” the release stated, News 13 noted.

“Nurses come to the bargaining table with one main goal: to ensure a strong contract so that every patient gets the highest quality of care,” said Kerri Wilson, a registered nurse at Mission Hospital, in the release.

 â€œBut it is clear that HCA is more invested in maximizing profits than ensuring we have the staff and the resources to protect our patients’ safety. With this strike authorization vote, we are making it clear to HCA that we will do whatever needs to be done to improve patient care.”

According to the release. the strike vote doesn’t mean that a strike is currently scheduled. The vote only authorizes the bargaining team of nurse representatives to call a strike if they deem it necessary to successfully resolve contract negotiations.

If nurses decide to move forward with a strike, they would provide hospital management 10 days’ notice to allow time for planning for patient care. At any time in the process, the nurses have the option of calling off the strike if an agreement with HCA is reached, the release stated.

Meanwhile, Mission Hospital spokeswoman Nancy Lindell, contacted by the Daily Planet on Sept. 5 and 6 for a statement on the nurse’s vote supporting a possible strike, emailed the newspaper the following response on Sept. 6:

“It was fully expected that the union would claim overwhelming support for a strike as this is a common bargaining tactic, especially from this union. The union has seemed intent on striking long before bargaining began.

“If the union decides to move forward with a strike, Mission Hospital is fully prepared to remain open and provide care for our patients. We have plans in place allowing us to be confident that it will be safe for our patients and for any nurse who makes the personal decision to cross the picket line.

“As we continue to say — a strike is unnecessary and it would be more productive for the union to bargain in good faith as we have done for months and are committed to continuing, so we can move forward together in caring for patient.”