ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Nurses at Saint Louis University Hospital began their 48-hour strike today at 7 a.m. and will end at 6:59 a.m. on Friday.
They are demanding the key issues in contract negotiations be resolved, as they protested for the same reasons in September after their union contract expired in June.
Maddy O'Leamy is a registered nurse, and she said they're condemning the Hospital's attempt to break the union by getting nurses to leave.
"SSM seems to be dragging the process out and encouraging the decertification of our union. That's why we're striking," O'Leamy said. "We want SSM to stop outsourcing nurse jobs and focus on recruiting and retaining nurses. We want a strong contract so we can give our patients the best care."
SSM responded to the strike announcement in a statement saying: "We look forward to returning to the bargaining table soon and remain committed to reaching an agreement that supports and benefits our valued SLUH nurses with a robust market competitive compensation and a benefits package while ensuring patients continue to get the best care possible."
Nurses participating in the strike gave the hospital a 10-day notice to allow for alternative care plans to be made.
