Ascension Seton nurses in Austin to have one-day strike

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Registered nurses with Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin are set to hold a one-day strike June 27 for “strong contracts to combat health care giant’s unsafe staffing practices,” according to the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

A release said 2,000 Ascension nurses would strike to protest the health care giant’s refusal to address its endemic staffing crisis. Of the 2000 nurses, 900 are part of Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin. The remaining nurses are a part of two Ascension locations in Kansas.

“During contract negotiations, management has dismissed nurses’ solutions for safe staffing protections and nurse recruitment and retention, both critical factors for ensuring patient safety,” NNOC/NNU said.

In early June, nurses voted to authorize the one-day strike as the two sides continued labor negotiations.

At the time, Ascension Seton said in a statement it planned to continue to bargain in good faith, and had a plan in place in case nurses did strike.

KXAN reached out to Ascension Seton Thursday for an updated statement. This story will be updated when we receive a response.

According to a release, nurses at the three Ascension locations voted to authorize one-day strikes.

“Ascension management pushed nurses to this position by failing to listen to or implement our solutions to address the staffing crisis,” said Monica Gonzalez, a registered nurse in the neurology unit at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin. “Ascension management has the power to settle a strong contract now if they are serious about staffing up and improving nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care. ”