Saint Agnes Nurses Strike Over Staffing, Safety, and Contract Progress
On Thursday, dozens of nurses stood outside Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital in Baltimore, holding signs and calling for change. Their message was clear: better staffing, safer conditions, and a fair contract. The one-day strike, organized by National Nurses United, began early Thursday and will end at 6:59 a.m. Friday.
“We’re not out here for ourselves, we’re out here for our patients,” said veteran nurse Robin Buckner, who has worked at Saint Agnes for over a decade. She described growing delays in patient care due to staffing shortages, saying, “Any aspect of their care is on delay because nurses are stretched too thin.”
The union is pressing Ascension, the Catholic health care system that owns Saint Agnes, to hire more nurses and stop placing them in departments where they lack proper training. Contract negotiations began in January after nurses voted to unionize last year, but many feel progress has stalled.
“They’re not meeting us in good faith,” Buckner said.
ICU nurse Alexandra Otto joined the picket line after working an overnight shift. “This is all I’ve ever wanted to do,” she said. “But it’s heartbreaking when I can’t give my patients the care they deserve.”
Ascension said the hospital remained open and fully operational during the strike. In a statement, the hospital emphasized its commitment to staffing and competitive pay, and said it hopes the union will return to the table to “bargain in good faith.”
Elected officials and community supporters rallied alongside the nurses. Delegate Kim Ross encouraged them to keep pushing: “You all have the power, and this is about safety.”
Nurses say they’re inspired by recent union victories at other Ascension hospitals in Texas and Kansas. Neonatal nurse Nicki Horvat called those wins a sign of hope. “We know change is possible,” she said.
Saint Agnes Nurses Strike Over Staffing, Safety, and Contract Progress was originally published on wolbbaltimore.com
