Howard University nurses set to strike next week over low wages, staff shortages

WASHINGTON (7News) — Nurses and medical professionals at Howard University Hospital will not only walk off the job in the next coming days but will picket outside of the campus next week.

This will be a one-day strike, it will begin Monday morning, and run 24-hours -- They are striking over low wages and staff shortages.

The District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA), the labor union representing over 300 nurses, pharmacists and social workers, argues the workers are understaffed and underpaid and the treatment of hospital staff is leading to retention issues.

Just two weeks ago non-tenured teachers at the University threatened to strike over similar issues. The staff says they can no longer safely care for patients.

They say the staff shortage at Howard has become a dangerous, dire situation.

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“Really it comes down to respect and dignity for our workers, our long-term workers. Many of them, the vast majority who are women, the vast majority who are women of color. And we have tried to engage management time and again”, said Edward Smith, Executive Director of the District of Columbia Nurses Association.

The union and the university's hospital have been involved in negotiations since last July, as the collective bargaining agreement expired last Fall.

"We've had 20 bargaining sessions, we've had 5 mediation meetings and we've had more meetings than that and we want to continue to meet but we've given them their offer and they have not presented the offer to the nurses for them to vote on it," Howard University Hospital CEO Anita Jenkins told 7NEWS Health Reporter Victoria Sanchez Friday afternoon.

"It sounds like you would like to see the offer go to a vote," said Sanchez.

"I would love for our nurses to see what we're putting on the table so that they can vote and have a voice," said Jenkins.

As of Friday afternoon, there is no agreement at the bargaining table, at a time when the campus is still recovering from a massive cyberattack, poor living conditions in school dorms, bomb threats and COVID.

The hospital has proposed cuts in compensation to senior employees, anyone with 20 years or more experience. Mostly nurses and licensed healthcare practitioners.

The DCNA says some employees will lose more than $4000 a year.

Jenkins said though negotiations stalled, the hospital still implemented an average pay increase of 9.6 percent which hit paychecks Thursday.

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It is only a one-day strike because the nurses and staff at the hospital say they do not want to jeopardize patient care but they want to get their message across.

“Howard University is the oldest, Historically Black College in the country. And part of its mission is to take care of the underserved minorities in the region. A vast majority of our members are part of that community," said Smith.

"I am offended that someone could say that we don't care about this community. That's why we're here and that's why Howard University Hospital has always been here, " Jenkins said adamantly.

The strike is scheduled for April 11 at 7:30 a.m., according to DCNA.

There will be an 11 a.m. rally.

DCNA has provided a 10-day notice of the strike to HUH which covers all DCNA members.

A plan is in place for patient care during the strike.

"We do have agency personnel, our managers, our directors who are nurses and have the ability to staff, they absolutely will be at that bedside. And I will be right there with them in scrubs, doing whatever I can to make sure that is what’s most important happens, and that’s taking care of the community that we serve," said Jenkins.