MNA Committee Representing the Brigham and Women’s Nurses 2025-2026

MNA BWH New Member Orientation

Negotiation Updates

MNA Negotiations Update: August 11, 2026

MNA Negotiations Update: August 6, 2026

MNA Negotiations Update: July 21, 2026

MGB Refuses to Negotiate in First Bargaining Session Since Strike and Lockout

Brigham Nurse Urgent Meeting

Tuesday, August 11

5pm to 9pm

Florian Hall, 55 Hallet St, Boston, MA

• Debrief our one-day strike and MGB’s four-day lockout.

• Update on contract negotiations.

• Discussion of potential next steps.

VIRTUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

July 29, 7-9pm. Look for link soon.

The Brigham is supposed to be a healing environment. The billionaires and multi-millionaires who run MGB have destroyed that environment. They have decimated their reputation, disrespected our nurses, and put patients at tremendous risk. All for their profit margins. Their toxic behavior bled into our first bargaining session since our strike and their lockout. Management did not even come into the room with us. They communicated only through the mediator, telling us that they would not move off their 0% wage offer or negotiate on any of our top priorities. Our most significant remaining issues are:

• Limits on the hospital’s reliance on temporary travel nurses to improve continuity of care and ensure patients are cared for by experienced permanent Brigham nurses.
• No insurance premium increase and insurance choice.
• The creation of a float differential.
• A meaningful cost-of-living wage increase recognizing our essential role in patient care and the high, persistent inflation over the last several years.

Contrary to what the hospital says, we have responded to them and are ready to negotiate. Before the strike, on June 25, we gave the hospital a time-limited proposal that included a 7% across-the-board increase over 18 months. We told MGB representatives during bargaining on July 2, in the Governor’s Office on July 8, and through the mediator today that we are willing to negotiate based on that proposal. We will be back at the bargaining table on August 6 and August 11.

One more note as we continue this fight: The hospital is pretending that everything is fine. They tried to act like it was business as usual during the strike and lockout. They are acting like they can bargain the same way they did before the strike. We will not allow them to gas light us. Patient care was jeopardized by their four-day lockout. We are documenting safety issues for state regulators and the public. We will stand strong together until we get what we need.

INFORMATION ON WORKING WITH AN EXPIRED CONTRACT

Our contract expired on July 1. At this point in the process, our contract will remain expired until we ratify a new contract agreement. Even while the contract is technically expired, nurses continue to receive the same pay, step increases, and benefits. The main difference is that if management violates the contract, we can still file grievances, but we cannot take those grievances to arbitration unless the hospital agrees in the final settlement to allow arbitration for issues that occurred during the period without a contract. This issue has been resolved successfully in every previous round of bargaining, including our last contract negotiations. We will not settle this contract without the same protection.

If management takes formal disciplinary action against nurses for participating in the strike or lockout picketing, this will constitute an unfair labor practice. If this were to happen, the MNA would file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. The other major impact of working without a contract is that nurses are no longer prohibited from striking. It was necessary to allow the contract to expire to hold our one-day strike.

MNA Negotiations Update: June 25, 2026

STRIKE IMMINENT AFTER PATHETIC MGB PROPOSAL

Virtual Membership Meeting

Wednesday, July 1, 7 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/265713933798811?p=beSxYOK85ssjeqiIYX

After making major movement on Thursday to clear the way for an agreement, we expected management to finally make a real wage proposal. Instead, the hospital came back with the same insulting 0% across-the-board wage increase they have been offering for months. Worse, they tried to disguise their pathetic proposal with a one-time ratification bonus. This is completely unacceptable. We rejected their offer and told them to reconsider our proposal before we go on strike. Look for a strike notice imminently. When the notice is issued, we will provide details about the date, timing, and other logistics. We will also distribute a detailed FAQ.

Management’s “Improved” Wage Proposal

Management is still at 0% across-the-board. They also proposed a new 2.5% top step and one-time ratification bonus that they said disappears if a strike notice is issued:

• 36-40 hours: $2,000
• 30-35 hours: $1,500
• 20-29 hours: $1,000
• Per Diem: $500

A Bonus Is NOT a Raise

A temporary bonus is not a meaningful substitute for permanent wage increases. A one-time bonus is transitory. It is not part of your permanent pay rate. It does not compound your future wage increases or boost your overtime pay. After taxes, that “$2,000” bonus is much closer to $1,400. A “$1,000” bonus is closer to $600. In addition, management refused to offer a float differential or restrict travelers. They also continue proposing a cap on the health insurance bonus for per diems and insist on raising our health insurance premiums.

Our Significant Movement

We made difficult compromises to move these negotiations toward a settlement. Our proposal is time limited to the beginning of our strike. After that, we told management we would need additional wages and rethink proposals we withdrew under this package to make up for what we would lose under the strike and lockout.

Our proposal:

• 18-month agreement
• 3% wage increase effective April 1, 2026
• 4% wage increase effective October 1, 2026
• 2.5% new top step effective April 1, 2026
• Our wage proposal is 1% higher than the recent Dana-Farber settlement
• Reduced our float differential proposal to $1.50
• Agreed on shift differentials
• Moved professional meeting time reimbursement to $1,500 for APRNs to match management’s position
• Reduced ambulatory APRN management time proposal from 25% to a minimum of 12.5%

We withdrew the health insurance tax penalty proposal while continuing to insist nurses deserve insurance choice and no premium increases. We promised to come back during negotiations next time with a proposal to ensure anyone who faces a tax penalty would be made whole by MGB.

The millionaire MGB executives and the billionaires and vulture capitalists on the MGB board are forcing us to strike. They are going to create a public health emergency to boost corporate profits. It’s completely pathetic and everyone will see it. Everyone should be ready to strike very soon.

We will stand together for the respect that we deserve.

Brigham Nurse Strike Update 6.23.2026

Our next bargaining session – #21 – is Thursday, June 25. At that session, MGB is supposed to respond to our last comprehensive package proposal.

If MGB comes to the table prepared to seriously negotiate, we are ready to work toward an agreement. But if management continues to refuse to address our core bargaining issues (wages, health insurance, float differential and traveler limits), we will not wait long to issue a 10-day strike notice.

If a strike is necessary, we will share full details as soon as the notice is issued. For now, here is what you should expect. Also, remember to wear your We Will buttons or stickers every day.

• Our strike would be for 24 hours. The hospital has said they plan to lock us out for four days after our one-day strike. We should plan for five days of picketing.
• We want every Brigham nurse to gather on the first day of the strike to demonstrate our strength.

• During the MGB-imposed lockout, nurses will be expected to report to the picket line during the hours they would normally be scheduled to work to fulfill their commitment.
• Nurses should plan to picket at their regular work location.

• Overnight, we will consolidate our picket lines at 75 Francis Street so we can stand together and maintain a strong presence throughout the night.
• You won’t be allowed into MGB parking garages during the strike and lockout. Plan ahead to carpool, use public transit, or use an app like SpotHero to find an available parking spot.
• Additional information regarding timing, locations, and logistics will be provided after notice is issued. Now is the time to prepare. Make plans for childcare, transportation, schedules, and anything else you may need.

None of us want a strike. We came to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair contract that protects patients and respects nurses. MGB is pushing proposals that undermine nurses while refusing to make meaningful movement on the issues that matter to us most.

If MGB forces this strike, we will be ready. Stay united and be prepared.

MNA Negotiations Update: June 18, 2026

MNA Negotiations Update: June 9, 2026

STRIKE VOTE JUNE 16: MGB IS FORCING THIS FIGHT

We are moving ahead with our strike authorization vote on June 16. Instead of making progress at the bargaining table, MGB has been busy spending money on lawyers and fake coalitions attacking nurses on social media. If MGB wants to put patients at risk by forcing a strike, that is their decision. The Boston healthcare system is already stretched thin. The summer calendar is packed. The Fourth of July. The World Cup. The Tall Ships. Every hospital in the region is filled with patients.

The decision-makers in Somerville need to get involved. MGB executives can end this dispute whenever they choose.

On Tuesday afternoon, management decided not to respond to the latest proposal we made after receiving a package proposal from them in the morning. We were trying to come to an agreement by moving in their direction. MGB is not reciprocating. We are making creative bargaining moves to compromise. MGB has chosen not to. If we have to strike it will be because MGB forced us.

Strike Authorization Vote Information

All BWH nurses in good standing, even those on leave, can vote.

Tuesday, June 16, 6am to 8pm

The Inn at Longwood, Longwood Hall, 342 Longwood Ave, Boston

Tuesday, June 16, 10am to 6pm

Main MNA Office, 340 Turnpike St., Canton

Tuesday, June 16, 10am to 4pm

Region 2 MNA Office, 11 E. Central Street, Worcester

Region 4 MNA Office, 50 Salem Street, Building A, Lynnfield

VIRTUAL MEETING: Wednesday, June 10, 7pm to 8 pm

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/260849121161215?p=JETzQrkVUdoCxGGqfZ

Management is still holding at 0% across-the-board. They are still demanding health insurance premium increases. They are still refusing to agree to our float differential proposal or meaningful limits on travelers. They are not trying to make a deal. They are holding our bargaining hostage.

Instead of negotiating, MGB is trying to divide nurses. They want top-step nurses to receive increases while thousands of other nurses get nothing. They want nurses to pay more for health insurance after threatening us with thousands of dollars in tax penalties. They are willing to spend months dragging this out for their own corporate interests rather than invest in nurses and patients.

There was some limited progress on Tuesday because of our willingness to compromise. We reached tentative agreements on:

• Bereavement Leave: Grandchildren will now be added to the list of covered family members.
• Friday Scheduling: On units that operate on weekends, all nurses (except weekend-only nurses) will be scheduled for at least one Friday per schedule. This is to make the system more equitable for nurses.

Use this link to access our strike Q&A:

https://www.massnurses.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Strike-QAs-Generic-03.pdf

Keep in mind if you’re coming from the south, there is a 6pm World Cup game on 6/16 at Gillette. Give yourself extra travel time.

MNA Negotiations Update: June 2, 2026

Join Virtual Meetings (starting 6/3) as we Head Toward a Strike Vote

We are disgusted by management’s behavior. They called us greedy in the Boston Globe while still proposing 0%. They consider our wage steps part of a new agreement even though they were negotiated decades ago. They are putting out false information about what the average nurse makes while MGB executives make millions.

Management also continues to respond horribly to violence against staff. We shared our shock today with Julia Mason at how security recently responded to a visitor spewing a homophobic slur at a provider in the NICU and threatening a resident with violence. The hospital cannot even provide basic safety protection for staff after years of nurses pressuring them to do better.

And they expect us to just roll over and settle? That is not happening. Instead, we are going to vote on June 16th in huge numbers to authorize a one-day strike.

Make a plan to vote and join one of our virtual member meetings. Our collective action is what will make MGB drop its insurance takeaway, move off its 0% wage offer and agree to a fair contract.

On Tuesday, we put together a package of proposals that made meaningful movement. On wages, we moved from 15% over 18 months to 13% over two years (5% year one, 8% year two). We moved from $3 an hour to $2.50 an hour on the float differential. We held strong against their insurance takeaway, stuck to our proposal extending insurance choice, and held on limits for the use of travelers.

Management did not respond to our package, saying they would have a comprehensive response on June 9. We agreed to extend our contract until July 1. This means your contractual protections have not lapsed and run from when the contract expired on April 1 until July 1.

MNA Negotiations Update: May 12, 2026

MNA Negotiations Update: May 6, 2026

Some Progress Made in Negotiations – Join Us May 11^th to Prepare for a Strike Vote

We clearly showed MGB with our informational picket that we are united and ready to escalate our fight for a fair contract. Our next step is coming together on Monday, May 11 for our Brigham Nurse Strike Rally at Florian Hall in Dorchester from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The focus of this meeting is preparing for a strike vote while building the momentum needed to win the contract we deserve. We will also provide an update on bargaining, as well as food and MNA gear.

As we build toward our strike vote, reach out to your strike captain. If you’d like to be a strike captain, contact MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org. We are distributing talking points and member lists and contacting each nurse about the vote.

REMEMBER: WEAR BLACK SCRUBS ON FRIDAYS!!!

At negotiations on Wednesday, we continued pressing management to make movement. We exchanged counterproposals on education. We made it clear that APRNs deserve stronger recognition and support in this contract. We are fighting for APRNs to have access to professional development funding more comparable to CRNAs, including the ability to use more of their funds for conferences and professional meetings.

Along those same lines, we held firm on our position that nurses should only be required to hold one formal role — even if they pick up shifts in another area. Management cannot divide our bargaining unit by forcing APRNs or other nurses to take on additional formal roles simply to pick up shifts when management is the one failing to properly staff the hospital.

Management also presented a counterproposal regarding the order of cancellation for travelers versus bargaining unit nurses. We are reviewing that proposal carefully. Additionally, we communicated to management the major issues that are still outstanding that must be addressed for there to be any realistic path toward settlement:

• Competitive wages
• A float differential
• No health insurance premium takeaways
• Extending health insurance choice
• Traveler nurse limitations

The more active our membership, the stronger we are at the bargaining table. As we prepare for a strike vote, it is crucial that we talk to each other, show up for our rally on May 11^th and get ready to vote YES in huge numbers.

A Note on the Confidentiality Agreement

For years, we have disagreed with nurses signing the hospital’s confidentiality agreement on HealthStream. We recommend nurses sign the agreement to avoid discipline but at the same time email CNO Julia Mason and your manager indicating you are signing under duress. See the email below you can copy and paste.

“I understand that Brigham & Women’s Hospital has demanded that I sign a Confidentiality Agreement under threat of discipline or discharge. I do not agree that I am required under law to sign this Agreement, and I am only doing so under duress. I reserve all rights under contract and law to support the efforts of my bargaining agent, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, to invalidate this Agreement.”

Our next negotiation session is May 12. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: April 21, 2026

Important TAs Reached, Join Our Picket to Push for More Progress

Today we made progress by reaching tentative agreements (TAs) on issues that will make a positive difference to nurses and patient care. These agreements reflect our strength at the bargaining table and clear space for us to focus on our outstanding core issues. Join our picket on April 29 to keep up the pressure!

Tentative Agreements

Stronger Charge Nurse Protections

We have secured a major enhancement to our existing charge nurse language. Previously, Nurses-in-Charge and Charge Nurses were given the option to request a less acute patient assignment. Now NICs and Charge Nurses shall be given a less acute patient assignment. The difference in language is key. By default, the hospital must now give NICs and Charge Nurses fewer patients, less acute patients or no patients. This agreement will benefit nurses and patients throughout the hospital by enabling NICs and Charge Nurses to better do their jobs.

Benefit Time (BT) Special Election

Nurses employed before ratification will have the option of switching from separate time off banks into the Benefit Time system by way of a special election occurring during 2026 or 2027 open enrollment, depending on when we ratify our contract. Nurses can convert 100% of vacation and holiday to Benefit Time. Extended sick leave remains as ESL and can be used in the same circumstances as currently. Nurses will also be able to convert 25% of the balance of their sick time (up to 100 hours). Any remaining sick time would be converted to ESL. This will apply to full- and part-time nurses the same and will NOT be pro-rated as the hospital inaccurately communicated.

Voalte/Rover Protections

The hospital proposed eliminating our existing Voalte contract side letter because it is introducing the Rover application. Under the language we agreed to, nurses will not be required to use the Rover camera and will be protected from discipline if they accidentally access a patient’s record on their device.

We also exchanged proposals on education. While we made progress today, management has yet to move off its 0% wage offer and continues to push proposals that would double our health insurance premiums. They have also not agreed to future health insurance choice or restrictions on how many travel nurses the hospital can employ.

Now is the time to escalate. Join us at the informational picket on April 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The more nurses we have on the street, the more power we bring to the table. See you next Wednesday.

Our next negotiation session is May 6. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: April 17, 2026

We Give 100% — Management Still Offers 0%

After months at the bargaining table and multiple inadequate economic proposals, management returned Friday and still offered 0% wage increases for nurses below the top step.This is both insulting and a direct threat to recruitment, retention, and safe patient care. Additionally, management is trying to divide our bargaining unit by offering staff nurses and NICs a 1.5% new top step (up from their previous offer of 1%). All other nurses at the top on different scales would only get a one-time 1.5% bonus. This is a union-busting strategy that creates inequality across our bargaining unit. We will NEVER agree.

Management reduced their premium cost hikes for Harvard Pilgrim health insurancebut are still trying to increase:

• • 40-hour nurses on individual plans: 0% → 5%
  • 30–39 hour nurses on individual plans: 5% → 10% (DOUBLED)
  • 20–29 hour nurses on individual plans: 10% → 15%
  • Family plans: Increases to 15% or 25% depending on hours

Management already raised our copays while negotiating insurance compliance. This is a pay cut and disrespectful. We are also fighting the hospital over negative changes to prescription coverage.

Additional Bargaining Updates

We continued to push forward with other proposals to clear the way for more work ahead on bargaining priorities. We exchanged proposals with management about:

• • Special voluntary election for benefit time
  • Education benefits
  • On-call pay
  • Picking up shifts in other roles
  • Charge nurse/NIC no assignment or lesser assignment tied to agreeing to Voalte/Rover
  • Audio/visual side letter

It is exceedingly frustrating that management is choosing to disrespect nurses, divide our union, and cut our pay while expecting us to continue delivering world-class patient care. And while the top 14 executives at MGB made more than $35 million in fiscal year 2024!

We have faced this before. When management has tried to divide us in the past, we have stood together, up to and including strike votes, to demand fairness for every nurse.

Escalation Plans

Join your colleagues and show management we will not back down:

·       Informational Picket: April 29, 2–4 PM

• Picket Sign-Making Party: April 21, 4–6 PM (use QR code to the right)
• Virtual Member Meeting: April 23, 7-8 PM (use QR code below)

Our next negotiation session is April 21. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: April 14, 2026

Management Stalls on Core Issues, We Escalate

After six months at the bargaining table, management continues to show a lack of progress and respect for nurses. While we hope the participation of a federal mediator starting today will help, management is still proposing a 0% wage increase for nurses below the top step while pushing major increases to our health insurance premiums. This effectively asks nurses to take a pay cut.

There has been no meaningful movement and no urgency to reach a fair agreement. Nurses have had enough. Your Bargaining Committee is moving forward with escalation to demand the respect and contract we deserve.

Upcoming Actions & Events

Virtual Member Meetings

April 16 & April 23, 7pm to 8pm

Join to hear updates directly from your Bargaining Committee, ask questions, and stay connected as we escalate.

Attend: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZDkxMjM4MjAtMGY2NS00YTJiLWFkY2MtNjI3YTUxMDEwMWNj%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2263bef561-b8e9-4b9e-9696-8167d9fd8dc7%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%225057f985-0973-4534-b9b0-af187ac4cd51%22%7d

Picket Sign-Making Party

April 21, 4pm to 6pm (after bargaining). Come at 4pm to look management in the eye as they leave negotiations.

340 Turnpike St., Canton, MA

Make signs, grab pizza, and pick up your Brigham nurse T-shirt.

Register:

www.massnurses.org/PicketParty

Brigham RN Informational Picket

Wednesday, April 29, 2pm to 4pm

75 Francis St., Boston

Join us on the sidewalk when you’re not working or on break. Let’s show we are united for safe patient care and a fair contract!

Next Steps: Strike Vote & Pre-Strike Vote Rally
If we don’t make progress soon at the table, we will be scheduling a strike authorization vote. Ahead of a strike vote, we will hold a rally to answer your questions about the strike and turn nurses out for the vote. Look for more details.

The key takeaway from today is that management’s proposals on our core issues are unacceptable. We are united, we are escalating, and we are ready to do what it takes to win a fair contract that respects nurses and protects patient care.

Our next negotiation session is April 17. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: March 31, 2026

 MGB Once Again Refuses to Move on Wages; Hit the Picket Line to Demand Better

Despite claiming they want to move quickly toward a settlement, management is refusing to budge on their wage proposal that consists of 0% for nurses below the top step and a 1% bonus for those at the top step. It’s outrageous. They are speaking out of both sides of their mouth, talking about urgency while offering nothing that reflects the value of our work or the reality of nursing challenges at the Brigham.

We come to every session ready to bargain in good faith and move the process forward. On Tuesday, we made a meaningful adjustment to our wage proposal by shifting our 10% across-the-board increase from April to October 2026 while maintaining a 5% increase this April along with a new top step worth 5%.

Management’s revised economic package barely scratched the surface of what we deserve. Their counter:

• Agrees to our proposal to equalize differentials for rotating evening/night nurses but refuses to increase the permanent evening and night differentials.
• Agrees to our counter to their proposal to standardize the times differentials are paid regardless of where nurses work in the hospital. Differential times for inpatient and ambulatory will now be the same. Our counter keeps the existing differential times for ED nurses.
• Increases weekend differential from $2.25 to $2.50.
• They refused to move on weekend differentials and tied their small movement to their 0% wage increase.

Meanwhile, management continues to mischaracterize our step increases as new spending even though those steps were already negotiated and should have been budgeted previously. At the same time, we know that MGB is offering up to $950,000 to a new Chief Nursing Executive. They also received an anonymous $50 million donation the other day. The money is there – just not for nurses who actually care for patients. We’ve agreed to bring in a federal mediator. Now it’s on all of us to turn up the pressure. Join our picket sign making party on April 21 and hit the picket line on April 29.

Picket Sign-Making Party

April 21 4–6 PM (after bargaining)

Come make creative signs, eat pizza, and grab your Brigham nurse T-shirt!

Plenty of free parking at 340 Turnpike St., Canton, MA

Register:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/3bTePc0J47

Brigham RN Informational Picket

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: On the sidewalks at 75 Francis St.

Join when you are not working or on break.

Vacation – Tentative Agreement

We accepted management’s last counter to our vacation proposal. Our agreement creates more equitable access to time off across all vacation periods. Nurses will be guaranteed up to one week of vacation in periods 2 and 3. Full weeks will not take precedence. Additionally, nurses will be able to cancel vacation up to two weeks before the schedule is released (fully in period 1, and partially or fully in periods 2 and 3), with those days then offered to the next nurse who was previously denied.

Parking – Tentative Agreement

Under our agreement, all existing vouchers will not have an expiration. New vouchers issued after ratification will expire after 180 days. Nurses will continue to be allowed to transfer vouchers to another bargaining unit member, ending the hospital’s attempts to discipline nurses for doing so.

We are intent on making progress, but management is failing on the issues that matter most. They are still insisting on essentially a wage cut: A 0% increase paired with a significant hike to our health insurance costs. Management wants to double some nurses’ insurance premium costs and impose new costs on nurses currently not paying anything. Let’s show MGB that we are united and ready to fight for what we deserve.

Our next negotiation session is on April 14. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

BWH MNA Webpage

http://www.massnurses.org/BrighamNurses

Visit our webpage for more detailed bargaining updates, our contract, committee list and more.

MNA Negotiations Update: March 25, 2026

Informational Picket April 29: Turn Up the Pressure for a Fair Contract

Brigham RN Informational Picket

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: On the sidewalks outside the hospital at 75 Francis St.

Join when you are not working or on break.

Every nurse possible should be on the picket line. This is a key moment to send a message to MGB: It’s time to settle a contract that values nurses and protects patient care. Strong turnout will demonstrate urgency and unity.

The hospital insisted on Wednesday that they are sticking to their 0% wage offer for nurses below the top step. This is an absurd position and completely disrespectful. Another reason to join the picket line is MGB’s pattern of closing our services. MGB is moving forward with a troubling plan to close the Weiner Center at BWH and shift services to Faulkner Hospital. We see no clear rationale beyond cost-cutting. Nurses at Faulkner are paid less and have fewer benefits. Where are the savings going? We asked MGB directly during impact bargaining: Will this money be reinvested in staff and patient care? We received no answer.

Our biggest concern is the loss of highly specialized expertise. The Weiner Center serves patients who require nuanced, specialty-specific evaluations for complex procedures. Moving services risks replacing that expertise with entirely new staff who lack established workflows and familiarity with our surgical teams. The training required is significant, and during that transition there is real risk of gaps in care, inefficiencies, and impacts on patient safety and outcomes. For these reasons, it was all the more concerning that CNO Julia Mason was smirking during bargaining and did not apologize to the Weiner Center nurses and NPs for disrupting their careers and the care they provide.

Bargaining Issues

Vacation
Management provided a counter, but we are holding to our position. We did not agree to management’s proposal that scheduled vacations be subject to “operational needs.”

Parking
Management proposed that new vouchers expire after 60 days (we previously proposed 365). Existing vouchers would not expire. We countered that if management agreed to our vacation proposal, we would move to 180-day vouchers, transferable within the bargaining unit.

Voalte / Charge Nurse
We rejected management’s proposed discipline for accidental record access through the Rover app and continue to pair our Voalte/Rover proposal, and agreement around camera use, with our proposal that charge nurses have lesser or no patient assignments.

Education
Management agreed to increase the professional development fund to $1 million (from $750,000). They also agreed to raise the conference time portion of the existing $4,000 annual individual nurse education amount to $1,000 from $750. Management also agreed to cover approved nursing-related courses. We asked questions about their proposal and are considering how to respond.

MNA Negotiations Update: March 17, 2026

Today we expressed to management our concerns about the pace of progress. We didn’t want this to be a big fight, but between the 0% management has offered nurses below the top step and indications of bad faith bargaining, we see job action on the near horizon. An informational picket is our likely next step if management continues to treat us so disrespectfully. If you’re looking for a show of unity, a way to spotlight MGB’s greed, and an MNA T-shirt, we’ll see you on the picket line. In the meantime, on Tuesday we worked on several proposals in an effort to advance bargaining and encourage the hospital to tackle our top priorities in a meaningful way.

Court Attendance – TA reached
We reached a tentative agreement providing nurses with paid time for workplace-related court appearances. The TA also says that for nurses who are serving on grand juries, each day of attendance will count as one of their weekday shifts for that week to avoid the problem of the hospital scheduling nurses for days when they are not attending grand jury. For example, if a nurse is regularly scheduled for three days a week and they have grand jury duty for three days, they would not have to work any additional weekday shifts that week. Nurses will need to work weekend and holiday commitments but will not be required to work Sunday nights before Monday grand jury duty.

Vacation
Management has agreed that each nurse shall be approved one vacation request of up to one week during Period II and III before further requests are granted. However, they only want to allow cancellation requests before the schedule is posted if the cancellation is for an entire vacation request. We proposed a compromise that in Period 1, only full cancellations would be allowed, while in Periods 2 and 3, nurses could cancel all or part of scheduled vacation time. We also want cancelled time to be offered to the nurse denied that time off.

Parking
We pushed back on management’s attempt to limit parking voucher use. Our proposal ensures vouchers issued after ratification remain valid for 365 days—not the restrictive 30 days management proposed. Vouchers issued before ratification have no expiration. We also proposed that vouchers should be transferable within the bargaining unit so nurses can support one another. Transfers would also encourage use of environmentally conscious travel methods.

Shift Differentials
We responded to management’s proposal by agreeing to some of their language changes. However, our counter would condense existing differentials and make sure nurses get the greater of the differentials. We have also proposed increasing differential amounts and instituting a new float differential.

Picking Up Shifts
We originally proposed that nurses should be able to pick up shifts outside their unit if competent, while maintaining one official position and a consistent pay rate. Management’s counter would require many roles (midwifes, NPs, CRNAs, CNSs and lactation consultants) to hold secondary staff nurse positions to pick up shifts. Their proposal would also add limitations for some educators, NICs and staff nurses. We continue to push for a simpler, more flexible approach that values nurses’ skills without unnecessary barriers.

The hospital withdrew its proposal to change to a six-week schedule. We need much more movement from management. Stay engaged and look for more information about actions and our monthly virtual meetings.

Our next negotiation session is on March 25. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: March 4, 2026

We made progress today on contract language that affects nurses every day throughout the hospital, while restating to management the insulting nature of their wage offer. We cannot believe the hospital proposed a 0% increase for nurses below the top step. This disrespectful proposal comes as MGB remains the wealthiest hospital system in Massachusetts, earning a profit, pouring money into expansion, and paying its executives millions of dollars per year.

We started the day discussing urgent issues that have come up outside of negotiations. For instance, we continued to pressure the hospital to make sure seniority is accurate for the upcoming vacation selection period. We also raised concerns about reports that nurses may be required to care for the minor children of patients in the Emergency Department or elsewhere. This is unsafe for everyone involved. At the table, CNO Julia Mason said staff nurses should not be responsible for these children and stated she would investigate.

Discipline & Arbitration
Management offered to withdraw their proposal requiring the losing party pay all arbitration costs if we withdrew our proposal requiring disciplinary investigations begin within 60 days or no discipline could occur later. We rejected that trade because of the importance of timely disciplinary investigations. It is not fair for an investigation to be held over a nurse’s head for a long period of time.

Charge Nurses and the Rover App Transition
We reiterated our proposal that Charge Nurses and Nurses-in-Charge should not carry patient assignments or have lesser assignments, tying this to management’s Rover app transition. We suggested nurses-in-charge/charge nurses without assignments could take photos with Rover, helping to ensure nurses are not burdened with additional tasks. We also reiterated our Rover counter proposal that protects nurses from discipline for accidental record access through the app.

Jury Duty
We agreed to parts of management’s jury duty counter proposal around notice and documentation while maintaining that jury service should count as a nurse’s scheduled shift.

Conference Time
Our proposal clarifies that educational courses count as professional development and will be reimbursed, increases the overall reimbursement cap from $4,000 to $5,000 per year, allows all APRNs to use the full $5,000 for conference time, guarantees one conference day for all per diems, and improves access to conference days for nurses in all units.

Proposal Exchanges

We proposed to management that we would accept their proposal that nurses who work a holiday would have 12 weeks, rather than 8, to take a compensatory day in exchange for our vacation cancellation proposal. Our proposal would allow nurses to give vacation time back before the schedule is posted. That time would be offered to the nurse that was denied that time off and would have been next on the list. After a schedule is posted, cancellation would be at the discretion of the unit manager. We also proposed that we would accept management’s on-call proposal if they accepted our proposal to increase on-call pay.

We will continue pushing management to address the core issues nurses care about most.Our next negotiation session is on March 17. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: Feb. 11, 2026

Today’s bargaining session focused on three major issues: Management’s terrible wage proposal, the hospital’s proposed transition from Voalte to Rover, and urgent CRNA recruitment and retention concerns.

INSULTING NURSES AT EVERY TURN: Management Makes Offensive Wage Proposal

Mass General Brigham is one of the wealthiest healthcare systems in the country. It brings in billions in annual revenue, maintains massive financial reserves, and pays its top executives millions of dollars each year. It is a health system uniquely positioned to invest in its nursing workforce. Yet, for some reason, it has decided to do the opposite.

After holding our health insurance hostage for a year over non-compliance taxes, MGB is now proposing to increase our Harvard Pilgrim costs. Combine that with their anemic wage proposal and many Brigham nurses would actually take a pay cut. We told management at the beginning of negotiations that nurses are angry about how they have been treated. We urged the hospital not to make a low initial wage offer and further anger nurses. Their response was to propose NOTHING for nurses below the top step.

Management’s wage counter:

• 18-month contract
• 0% for any nurse not at the top step
• Sept. 30, 2026:
  • RN & NIC scales: Add new Step 22 at 1% above Step 21
  • All other scales: 1% lump sum for nurses at the top step

This proposal will not keep pace with the Boston nursing market and does nothing to meaningfully improve recruitment or retention. By contrast, our proposal would properly respect the care we provide and address our competitiveness issues by:

• Removing the lowest steps (2 and 3 for staff nurses, steps 1 and 2 for all other pay scales) in all pay scales. Nurses would move upward automatically based on experience level.
• Providing all nurses a 10% across-the-board (ATB) raise on April 1, 2026
• Providing all nurses a 5% ATB raise on April 1, 2027.
• Adding a new top step worth 5% more than the current top step effective April 1, 2026.

Management’s differential increases were similarly minimal (e.g., evening shifts increasing by 25 cents; night shifts by 25 cents; weekend differentials rising by 25 cents). These changes do not reflect the real demands of off-shift, weekend, float, and on-call work.

Management also offered counter proposals on bereavement leave, degree differentials, the special voluntary election from banks to benefit time and Friday scheduling. We responded with counters on the BT election, bereavement, and Friday scheduling.

Protecting Nurses During the Rover Transition

Management wants to eliminate our Voalte memorandum of agreement as the hospital transitions to Rover and eventually secure messaging through Epic. We raised serious concerns about:

• The liability of having patient alarms on phones.
• Provider overreliance on images instead of bedside assessment.
• Sanitation and infection control.
• Increased responsibilities pushed onto nurses.
• Protection against discipline.

Management said it has “no interest” in tracking phones and does not want photography by nurses to substitute for providers being at the bedside. History shows us that this kind of technology puts more responsibility on nurses and moves it away from providers.

We made a counterproposal that includes important safeguards:

• No GPS, patient alarms, or buddy system without mutual agreement.
• Cameras disabled except for wound/ostomy nurses.
• Login/logout data cannot be used for discipline.
• Accidental patient record access via Rover cannot be used against a nurse.

Addressing the CRNA Vacancy Crisis

CRNAs joined us on Wednesday to highlight a 45–50% vacancy rate and address with management the best ways to fix recruitment and retention problems. Since a correction in 2019, CRNA wages have fallen far behind competitors. BWH’s starting CRNA salary is $40,000 below other hospitals, and it takes four years to reach competitor entry-level pay.

Last summer, management eliminated longstanding educational pay, further undermining competitiveness and forcing CRNAs to pay out-of-pocket for many continuing education requirements. We have filed a grievance over this change and have proposed that the hospital provide meaningful educational support to CRNAs. We also believe that management’s proposed CRNA sign-on bonuses are not the right solution. Instead, we have proposed wage scale improvements for CRNAs that would make their pay competitive.

MGB must invest in CRNAs and all members of our bargaining unit to maintain a strong nursing workforce. We will push management at the table until they agree to a contract that allows us to continue providing the quality-of-care Brigham patients deserve.

Our next negotiation session is on February 25. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: Feb. 3, 2026

MNA Negotiations Update: Jan. 28, 2026

On Wednesday, we focused on urgent and long-standing OR issues, particularly those affecting cardiac and thoracic nurses. At our request, Janet Gorman, ACNO for Perioperative Services, joined bargaining. The OR is a single cost center with multiple highly specialized skill sets, unlike most units where nurses can easily cover their colleagues. Nurses have raised concerns about being denied time off due to chronic understaffing of staff specialized in cardiac and thoracic surgery. Nurses in this area carry a disproportionately high call burden. This problem has persisted for years and is now being raised for the second round of bargaining. Burnout is high, and nurses are considering leaving the Brigham.

Management acknowledged the higher call burden and said they have been working to recruit. We stressed that immediate relief is needed, pointing out that our on-call proposal would limit mandatory on-call to 156 hours per nurse per year, with any hours above that paid at straight time. This would fairly compensate nurses and create a financial incentive for the hospital to reduce on-call through proper staffing.

PACU Scheduling Issues

Nurses raised concerns about recent scheduling changes in the PACU following an email announcing standardized schedules (such as 4x10s, 3x10s, or 3x12s). This was done without discussion and echoed similar scheduling disruptions previously experienced in the OR. Management said the email did not reflect that further discussion with nurses is planned. They said these changes will not come into effect until the next schedule to allow discussion with nurses on the unit. We emphasized that unilateral scheduling changes undermine work-life balance and professional respect. The hospital needs to be truly collaborative before making changes.

Counters on Key Proposals

One-Time Option to Switch to Benefit Time (BT)
MNA proposal: A one-time option to switch to BT with conversions similar to the 2013 program.
Management counter: Agreed to a one-time switch but proposed capping sick time conversion at 40 hours.
MNA response: We proposed that nurses could convert 25% of existing sick time to BT.

Increased Education Degree Different
MNA proposal: Extend degree differentials to all qualified bargaining unit members, including per diems.
Management counter: They proposed excluding per diems and limiting eligibility to staff nurses, nurses-in-charge, and clinical nurses only.
MNA response: We proposed extending doctorate differentials to all members and allowing per diems to receive the same differentials as regularly scheduled nurses for all weeks they work.

Specialty Certification Pay
MNA proposal: Annual certification pay for all relevant certifications for all bargaining unit members.
Management counter: They would limit reimbursement to two certifications and only select roles.
MNA response: We agreed to limit reimbursement to two certifications but insisted that certification reimbursement apply to all bargaining unit members.

We also reviewed other outstanding proposals to make counters where possible, such as on management’s proposal to clean up seniority language. We are making progress at the table, but management has yet to address many of our most substantial proposals. Our next negotiation session is on February 2. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: Jan. 12, 2026

Brigham Management Targets a Core Nurse Benefit

At today’s bargaining session, management put forward a proposal that would significantly increase premium costs for nurses enrolled in the Harvard Pilgrim health insurance plan. Their proposal seeks to undermine one of our most valued benefits. More than 2,000 Brigham nurses rely on this insurance coverage. The Harvard Pilgrim plan is also a key recruitment and retention tool. By offering high-quality, affordable insurance, the Brigham builds strong clinical expertise that ultimately helps some of the sickest patients in the region.

Management’s proposal comes after the hospital spent a year threatening nurses with tax penalties by refusing to make the plan compliant with state law.We agreed to increase some of the plan’s copays to address the compliance problem. Now management wants to shift substantial additional costs onto nurses. We strongly rejected these proposed increases. There is no world in which Brigham nurses would ever entertain this takeaway.

Management Proposal to Increase Harvard Community Health Plan RN Premiums

Individual Coverage

·       40 hours: 0% to 10%

·       30–39 hours: 5% to 10% (doubling costs)

·       20–29 hours: 10% to 20% (doubling costs)

Family Coverage

·       30–40 hours: 10% to 15%

·       20–29 hours: 20% to 30%

Other Topics Discussed

• Shift Differentials: We exchanged initial views on this topic with management. It will require further discussion in the context of both our proposals.
• CRNA bonus proposal: We agreed to meet at a future negotiation session with representatives from the CRNAs to discuss this proposal and other issues.
• Seniority: Management made revised counters to its proposal to “clean up” seniority language.
• Advisory: Management responded to our proposal to make advisory meetings more productive.
• Step Placement: Management offered a modified response to our proposal.
• Side Letters: Management agreed to keep some side letters in the contract but continues to propose deleting others. They made a proposal to revise the Voalte phone side letter to address new technology.

We meet next for negotiations on January 28. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: Dec. 22, 2025

What Happened Today

At our most rent bargaining session, there was measurable movement at the table, with both sides exchanging proposals and responses.

We responded to management’s initial and secondary batch of proposals. We agreed to three proposals from management that do not materially impact nurses. On the remaining proposals, we either rejected them outright or indicated that further information and internal discussion are needed before responding.

Additionally, management responded to the proposals we put forward at the prior session. They countered some proposals and rejected others. Management said they are holding off on responding to several economic proposals until negotiations move more fully into economic issues such as wages. We spent time today in caucus discussing other proposals we may make as a committee. As always, we remain focused on protecting nurses’ rights, improving working conditions, and securing a fair contract with competitive compensation.

What’s Next

Although we have made early progress in negotiations, we expect friction in the months ahead. MGB is unlikely to simply agree to our most important proposals. While we may think of MGB as Scrooge, it is hard to believe that CEO Anne Klibanksi will be visited by three ghosts over the holidays and offer miraculous generosity to Brigham nurses. We must be prepared to organize and take action if necessary.

MGB has the resources to agree to our proposals. You may have noticed a Boston Globe story over the weekend about the system’s strong financial position. MGB made a $2.4 billion net margin last year, according to the Globe report, which highlights MGB’s enormous spending on construction and its investment gains. The power of our 4,000 members can make sure MGB invests in Brigham nurses and patients.

We meet next for negotiations on January 12. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: Dec. 1, 2025

What Happened Today

During our second bargaining session, we made it clear to management why nurses are so frustrated. Our anger is not tied to one proposal or a single economic issue. Instead, it is rooted in years of unresolved or poorly handled problems that have eroded our trust in management and damaged our working relationship.

We highlighted examples such as a month-long delay just to approve donated time for a nurse caring for her husband; an insurance error that forced a nurse to scramble to avoid paying thousands of dollars to avoid losing coverage; schedules repeatedly disrupted; and the health insurance compliance issue dragging on for a year. Every time something takes weeks or months to resolve, nurses hear about it throughout the hospital and frustration spreads.

We also emphasized that we intentionally cut our proposals from about 45 last time to 27 this round of negotiations and came in with an initial lower wage ask than last time – not because nurses want less or will end up with less, but because we want to focus on core priorities and reach an agreement quickly.

We are in a battle every day to provide safe, quality care for our patients. We hope management will join with us in creating a better, more respectful partnership going forward.

What Was Proposed

View MNA Proposals Summary

View Management Proposals Summary

What’s Next

We will meet next for negotiations on December 22. If you have any issues or questions, contact a committee member or MNA Labor AD Sharanya Sridhar at ssridhar@mnarn.org.

MNA Negotiations Update: Nov. 18, 2025

What Happened Today

Today was our first bargaining session. We negotiated ground rules with management at the MNA office in Canton. Ground rules in union negotiations provide clear guidelines for both sides to help make the process fairer and more productive.

For example, our ground rules include hospital requirements around releasing RN bargaining committee members for negotiation sessions. Additional ground rules include both sides providing advanced notice for news media outreach, requirements related to the cancelation of bargaining sessions, and that tentative agreements on individual proposals will take effect when the overall contract agreement is reached and ratified.

One of our main goals in establishing ground rules is to ensure that our bargaining committee members are released from shifts to attend negotiations. Our entire team must be able to participate. Each of our bargaining committee members was elected by the 4,000 Brigham nurses to represent many different hospital units and the diverse perspectives of our members.

Ultimately, we secured strong ground rules that will enable us to effectively negotiate an excellent contract for all Brigham nurses. We also reached our first tentative agreement: The hospital will continue paying medical insurance benefits for Brigham nurses who were impacted by air quality issues in the 1990s.

What’s Next

We will meet next for negotiations on December 1 and begin exchanging contract proposals.

In addition to bargaining updates like these, we will provide additional information on our BWH MNA webpage at www.massnurses.org/BrighamNurses.

Ways to Stay Engaged

1. Join our private Facebook group, “The MNA Nurses of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.” Simply search for the group name on Facebook to apply to join. Your name will be checked against our membership list for approval.

2. Follow us on Instagram: bwhmna or Brigham MNA Nurses.

3. If you haven’t already, enter your contact information on our online signup page here: www.massnurses.org/BWHsignup.

Experiencing Unsafe Staffing?

• Document the shift to help us make a case for improved staffing and a better contract. Filing a report will also help protect your nursing license. Visit https://www.massnurses.org/bwhstaffing.