AUSTIN, Texas — Nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin took part in a 1-day strike on Tuesday.
The strike was to protest what the nurses call a staffing crisis amid union contract negotiations.
"Oftentimes, there's two attorneys that show up, and they don't have a whole lot to say to us. And it's not really a conversation, and there's not a lot of progress being made," said Lindsay Spinney, a neonatal ICU nurse at Ascension Seton Medical Center who has also been at the bargaining table.
On June 2, nurses at Ascension Seton overwhelmingly voted to initiate a strike on the grounds that the hospital has been operating well below previous standards, which in turn has been affecting the hospital's ability to care for patients.
Earlier that same day, Ascension Seton nurses joined nurses from Ascension via Christi St. Joseph Hospital and Ascension via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, to rally at Ascension's headquarters in St. Louis. Nurses at the two Wichita hospitals also overwhelmingly voted to authorize one-day strikes.
Ascension Seton released the following statement on Tuesday morning regarding the strike:
"While as a ministry of the Catholic Church we affirm the right of our associates to organize, we are disappointed that National Nurses United made the decision to proceed with a strike, especially given the hardship this presents for our associates and their families, and the concern this action may cause our patients and their loved ones.
"Patient safety is our top priority, and Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin is open and well-prepared to continue to provide patient centered, holistic care during this unfortunate strike. We have a comprehensive plan in place to ensure there is no disruption in service for those who are entrusted to our care.
"Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin is following national best practice for implementing a strike contingency plan that is compliant with The Joint Commission, OSHA, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In order to fulfill our commitment to uninterrupted quality care for our patients, we have contracted with a staffing agency that specializes in work stoppage events and has provided us with a full complement of highly skilled and credentialed registered nurses.
"Regardless of the planned duration of this disappointing strike, we are contractually required to commit to a minimum of four days of work for any registered nursing staff replaced, starting from the first day of the strike. Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin registered nurses who chose to work on June 27, 2023, were not replaced and may work their regularly scheduled shifts during the contractual replacement period. Any registered nurse who chose not to work on June 27, 2023, was temporarily replaced and will be able to return to their scheduled shifts beginning the morning of July 1, 2023, as soon as our replacement agency contractual obligation is fulfilled. This decision is guided by our commitment to safe, high-quality, compassionate care for our patients, and our fidelity to the virtue of justice and the appropriate stewardship of resources.
"Notwithstanding this disheartening strike, we will continue to negotiate in good faith to come to a mutually beneficial agreement on an initial contract that respects the human dignity and rights of all. We look forward to returning the focus to resolving issues at the bargaining table and reaching agreement on a fair and reasonable collective bargaining agreement for our registered nurses."
Ascension said these nurses will not be allowed to return to work until July 1, as it fulfills its contract with the staffing agency it is using in the meantime.
"They would rather have temporary staff take care of them, which is an unsafe environment. We know our facility. We know our doctors. We know our orders. We should be the ones in there and they decide to not let us. So that's going to be a big awakening for our community to see that," said Kristine Kittelson, a nurse at Ascension Seton Medical Center.
On Wednesday, many of those nurses showed up to Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, but they weren't allowed to return to work. That's because temporary nurses are still under contract through Friday.
Nurses are calling it an attempt to punish them for pushing for a union contract and safer work conditions.
Earlier this month, Kittelson – an RN in the mother-baby unit at Ascension Seton – told KVUE nurses are working with up to eight patients per shift when they should be caring for no more than six patients at a time.
Other concerns the nurses had were related to cleanliness in the workplace and security measures. They cited workplace violence internally and from patients.
Nurses at Ascension Seton are part of the National Nurses United organization, a union that has been fighting for safer staffing and practices at Ascension Seton’s main campus.