Baystate Franklin nurses stood up for their patients and colleagues, holding two one-day strikes and speaking up publicly for safe patient care and a fair contract

The registered nurses of Baystate Franklin Medical Center, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, reached a tentative contract agreement on Wednesday, May 23 following 18 months of negotiations and a powerful effort to improve staffing and patient care conditions that included two one-day strikes and tremendous community solidarity.

“This is a huge victory for Baystate Franklin patients, nurses and our entire community. The ultimate credit for this settlement goes to our 200 unified nurses and the Franklin County residents who joined with us,” said Donna Stern, RN and Senior Co-Chair of the BFMC MNA Bargaining Committee. “This settlement means public resources will be used appropriately, to improve patient care conditions and ensure that the nurses who provide care are treated fairly.”

“Our nurses stood together through two strikes and many months of hard-fought negotiations,” said Jillian Cycz, RN and Junior Co-Chair of the BFMC MNA Bargaining Unit. “Our resulting contract will make it easier for nurses to provide high-quality patient care and will help the hospital recruit and retain nurses by providing decent health insurance, strong benefits and fair wages.”