Story perspectives

Nurses End 5-Day Strike as Hospital Hires Temps.

7/13/2026

Summary

Nurses End Strike

Nearly 4,000 Brigham and Women’s Hospital nurses returned at 6:59 a.m. on July 13, 2026, ending a five-day stoppage after the hospital hired about 1,300 temporary nurses to cover locked-out shifts.
The union demands a 3% raise for six months and a 4% raise for the next year, rejecting the hospital’s 5% annual step increase.
Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu met with both parties and invited further talks at City Hall.

Summary

Nurses Resume

The Massachusetts Nurses’ Association called the five-day strike the largest healthcare workers’ strike in state history.
Union spokesperson Jen DeVincent said the stoppage left nurses “stronger than ever” as they prepare to return.
Nurses will resume duties at 7 a.m. on Monday, July 13, 2026, with a brief rally before the shift change.
Home-care clinicians will continue a seven-day strike through Tuesday, July 14, 2026, while non-striking hospital employees keep picketing outside MGB Boston facilities.

History

Historical Context

In 1999 the Royal College of Nursing staged a 48-hour strike in England and Wales, with about 200,000 nurses protesting a 2% pay offer. Austerity since 2010 has cut NHS nurses’ real wages by roughly 20%, prompting repeated disputes. The Massachusetts Nurses Association’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital strike, demanding a 3% raise, mirrors that pattern, leading Governor Maura Healey to pursue legislative relief.

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Nurses End Strike

Nearly 4,000 Brigham and Women’s Hospital nurses returned at 6:59 a.m. on July 13, 2026, ending a five-day stoppage after the hospital hired about 1,300 temporary nurses to cover locked-out shifts.
The union demands a 3% raise for six months and a 4% raise for the next year, rejecting the hospital’s 5% annual step increase.
Governor Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu met with both parties and invited further talks at City Hall.

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