After a four-day strike for better pay and conditions, nurses at UI Health have returned to their duties with a new tentative agreement in hand. The Illinois Nurses Association (INA) said the deal was struck late Saturday night, heralding improvements in hospital safety measures, wage increases, and greater involvement in staffing decisions. This development puts an end to the second significant work stoppage organized by the INA this year, with the previous one occurring in August.
Despite work resuming as of Sunday morning, UI Health’s 1,700 nurses who participated in the strike had been seeking resolution for months. Citing a paltry proposed raise of 2%, they felt compelled to take action. According to astatement obtained by ABC7, UI Health said they recognize the “critical role nurses play in providing patients with exceptional care, outcomes and experiences.” Yet, tensions had escalated prior to the August strike, leading UI Health to secure a restraining order to maintain critical care amidst staff shortages.
CBS News reportedon the sense of solidarity among the nurses, with veteran nurse Liz Flores commenting, “Our members have been deeply involved in these negotiations, from the drafting of language to watching our update calls week after week,” and adding, “They knew what this staff and its patient community deserves and they were ready to fight for it.” The tentative agreement indicates a four-year contract covering 2024-2028, offering a sigh of relief and an acknowledgment of the nurses’ concerted efforts.
However, the tentative agreement is not yet set in stone, as it awaits ratification by the full union membership, with a vote scheduled for this coming Tuesday. The strike, which began on a brisk Wednesday on the Near West Side of Chicago, and ended on a promising but cautious note, has underlined the crucial role that nurses hold, in the ecosystem of healthcare, especially in light of increasing workplace violence and unsafe working conditions that the union has flagged in recent years.
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