UChicago Medicine nurses reach tentative deal, call off strike
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Nurses at University of Chicago Medicine on Monday called off plans for a one-day strike, after reaching a tentative agreement on a new contract.
Approximately 2,800 nurses had been preparing to walk off the job on Thursday, but National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United confirmed Monday afternoon they had reached a deal with management on a new contract.
"Our decision to call a strike forced management to address a number of our outstanding demands at the bargaining table," said Stephanie Gamboa, RN in the dermatology clinic and a bargaining team member. "We're looking forward to ratifying our new contract, which will improve working conditions for nurses and health care for our patients."
In February, the nurses gave the go-ahead for a one-day strike over what they claimed were problems with chronic understaffing – leading to patient safety issues, and problems recruiting and retaining staff.
The union has claimed 40% of the nursing staff left the system between January 2020 and November 2023.
Terms of the new contract have yet to be announced. The union will vote on ratifying the new contract on Tuesday and Wednesday.
More than 2,200 nurses at University of Chicago Medicine went on strike for one day in 2019, and were locked out for another four days, after the hospital brought in contracted temporary nurses for five days in response to the strike.
Staffing issues also were a sticking point in the 2019 strike.
