Chronic staff shortages that pose potential safety risks to patients and staff are the core complaint for Saint Louis University SSM Hospital nurses who have authorized a strike vote if negotiations fail.
Those negotiations are set for this Thursday. SLUH Registered Nurse Sarah DeWilde says 94% of the nurses authorized the bargaining team to strike. "I hope after they get this information they'll say, maybe we should move things quicker." DeWilde says the two sides have been bargaining since May, and the contract expired June 15th. "Two months later, plus, we're still here. We haven't had a raise in over a year and a half." DeWilde says they've been sounding the alarm about staffing for years.
In past statements about the dispute, SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital has stressed its commitment to providing "safe, compassionate, high-quality care for our patients and the community."
National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU) claims the vacancy rate for RN positions at SLUH has been higher than 30% since early 2022. In a statement, the union says "If the RN bargaining team does call a strike, the nurses will give at least 10 days of advance notice to the hospital to allow for alternative plans to be made for patient care."
@2023 Audacy (KMOX). All rights reserved.
