November 17, 2020 – Around 700 nurses began a two-day strike today at St. Mary Medical Center (Langhorne, PA). The hospital, which is part of Trinity Health’s (Livonia, MI) Mid-Atlantic division, estimated between 600 and 700 have chosen to strike, and the union representing the nurses estimated about 775 striking workers.
The Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals said nurses are primarily striking over staffing. Ultimately, nurses want hospital management to hire more nurses and take more steps to retain them, so patients are as safe as possible, the union said.
“The hospital is filling up with COVID patients, and patients are waiting for hours in the emergency room because there’s not enough staff to take care of them up on the floors,” the union said in a news release. “The ER has been on divert for most of the last week. On some units, schedules are being posted with half the nurses needed for some shifts. The nurses, who risked their lives and the lives of those they love during the first COVID surge, need help.”
As of Nov. 17, no new negotiations were scheduled.