Nurses at Ascension Via Christi, St. Francis, and St. Joseph are now on strike.
Wichita nurses began their picket line at 7 a.m. They plan to remain on the picket line until 7 a.m. on Wednesday. The St. Joseph nurses will be at the corner of Clifton and Harry. Nurses from St. Francis will be present at St. Francis and Murdock.
KSN reached out to Ascension Via Christi Monday about the strike. A spokesperson for Ascension Via Christi sent the following reply:
"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 Via Christi will remain 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 Via Christi 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 Via Christi registered nurses who choose to work on June 27, 2023, are not being replaced and may work their regularly scheduled shifts during the contractual replacement period. Any registered nurse who chooses not to work on June 27, 2023, will be temporarily replaced and can 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."
