Brigham nurses voted in record numbers on June 16 to authorize a one-day strike if MGB executives refuse to protect patient care and respect nurses

BOSTON, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The nearly 4,000 registered nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), voted overwhelmingly on June 16 to authorize a one-day strike as Mass General Brigham (MGB) executives make contract bargaining decisions that negatively impact patient care, nurse retention, and the long-term stability of the nursing workforce.

This is the largest registered nurse strike authorization vote in Massachusetts history. The number of nurses who voted significantly outnumber previous Brigham nurse strike votes. BWH is the largest single nurse union bargaining unit in Massachusetts. The results on Tuesday were 2,798 yes votes to 12 no votes.

The vote follows more than seven months of negotiations and 19 bargaining sessions. The vote does not automatically mean a strike will occur. Rather, it authorizes the Brigham nurses elected to the BWH MNA Bargaining Committee to schedule a one-day strike if necessary to secure a fair contract. If a strike is scheduled, nurses will provide the legally required 10-day notice. The next bargaining session is June 18.

The strike authorization comes after MGB executives have spent months offering 0% wage increases for nurses below the top step, proposing increases to nurses' health insurance costs, and refusing proposals designed to recruit and retain permanent nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

"I am incredibly proud of Brigham nurses for standing up for our patients, our profession, and each other with this vote," said Kelly Morgan, RN, a labor and delivery nurse and Chair of the BWH MNA Bargaining Committee. "We do not want to strike, but MGB executives have left nurses with little choice. You cannot claim patient care is your top priority while refusing to invest in the nurses who provide that care every day."

"This vote sends a clear message that Brigham nurses are united and prepared to do what is necessary to protect patient care," said Jim McCarthy, RN, a PACU nurse and Vice Chair of the BWH MNA Bargaining Committee. "Nurses are being told there is no money for meaningful wage increases and affordable health insurance, yet MGB paid its top 14 executives $35.9 million in a single year. That tells you everything you need to know about the priorities of this organization."

Nurses are Fighting For:

A contract that supports recruitment and retention of nurses to protect patient care.

• MGB continues to offer 0% wage increases to many nurses despite inflation and growing competition for experienced nurses.
• Brigham nurses care for some of the most medically complex patients in the region and deserve compensation that reflects their expertise and value.
• Failure to recruit and retain experienced nurses threatens patient safety and quality of care.

Affordable health insurance and meaningful insurance choice.

• MGB is seeking to increase nurses' health insurance costs.
• Nurses are seeking options that allow them to choose plans that best meet their healthcare needs and family circumstances.

Investment in the permanent nursing workforce.

• Nurses are seeking limits on the overuse of temporary travel nurses and improvements that strengthen continuity of care.
• Stable staffing improves patient outcomes and helps retain experienced bedside nurses.

Protection of patient care services.

• Nurses have raised concerns about MGB's closure of the Weiner Center, closure of the Brigham Burn Unit, and elimination of the Integrated Care Management Program.
• These decisions reflect a troubling pattern of prioritizing system-wide financial strategies over patient care at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

MGB Executives Make Millions

While Brigham nurses struggle to get the proper support to provide the highly specialized care their patients need, MGB's highest-paid executives received a combined $35.9 million in compensation in fiscal year 2024.

At the same time Brigham nurses are being offered 0%, MGB is advertising a Chief Nursing Executive position with a salary range of $750,000 to $950,000 and a CNO position at MGH for ~$600,000.

Despite the economic pressures imposed by federal lawmakers on hospitals related to Medicaid funding, MGB has reported strong financial performance. According to a report in STAT News in December, "Mass General Brigham on Friday reported a $59.2 million operating gain in the year ending in September, a 0.3% margin, compared to a $45.7 million gain in the same period the year prior. Those numbers, along with a sizable gain from investments, contributed to a $2.4 billion net margin. Last year, the system reported $2 billion in net gains."

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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 26,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

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SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association