AUSTIN, Texas — Unionized nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin are considering going on strike for a second time.
Wednesday morning, the union delivered a two-week strike notice to hospital management.
“It's unfortunate that as a nonprofit institution, our administration chooses to prioritize profits over patients,” said Matthew Clark, a nurse at Ascension Seton. “We're here to say that the nurses aren't going to stand for that any longer.”
This potential strike follows a prior one-day strike nurses initiated in June to fight for better working conditions at the hospital. Nurses claim hospital management is still not providing them with the necessary equipment and resources needed to take care of patients.
"Things like having enough I.V. pumps available, things like even having blood pressure cables so we can monitor the vital signs of our patients,” Clark said.
It’s something Monica Gonzalez, a nurse that has been with Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin for 19 years, has been dealing with in the last few months.
"I've gone home and either cried in my car or at home, knowing that I could have done better, but I was not allowed to,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez describes having to triage patients on the med surge units to remove heart monitors from one patient to put it on another patient that needs it more.
“That, for me, is disgusting, and it's an awful feeling knowing that both of these patients require the same care, but you're not giving them the same care because you do not have the equipment to provide that care for them,” Gonzalez said.
Back in August, the nurses walked in on management before a bargaining meeting to express their concerns again, but because of their walk-in, Ascension decided to cancel the meeting. The nurses say since August, they’ve actually had several negotiation meetings with hospital management, but haven’t come to a full agreement on their contract yet.
“Although we’ve made a lot of progress since our last strike, I feel like we’re not there yet,” Gonzalez said.
Some of the nurses say they feel management is purposely slowing down the negotiation process, which is why they’re opting to strike again.
“We know that Ascension has the resources necessary,” Clark said. “They're just choosing to poorly allocate those resources.”
The nurses said they gave their two-week notice, which is more than the legal minimum requirement of a 10-day notice, so management has time to prepare and be staffed. During the last strike, Ascension had to bring in temporary staff for a few days.
Ascension Seton responded to the nurses’ two-week strike notice in a statement, saying they were disappointed in their decision but respected their right to strike. They also said they have a plan in place to staff the hospital during the strike.
"We are disappointed National Nurses United has made the decision to proceed with a strike, once again creating unnecessary uncertainty for our associates and their families, and concern for our patients and their loved ones.
Patient safety is our top priority, and Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin is well-prepared to remain open and care for our patients during this short-term strike. We have a comprehensive contingency plan in place to ensure there is no disruption in care or service for those we are privileged to serve.
While we respect the right of Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin represented associates to participate in this short-term strike, we believe that differences are best resolved respectfully at the bargaining table, and continue to focus on our upcoming scheduled bargaining sessions as we work together to reach a mutually beneficial agreement for all."