BOSTON — Brigham and Women’s Hospital nurses are still out of work today after a one-day strike ended, with Mass General Brigham’s five-day work stoppage plan keeping bargaining-unit nurses out until 7:00 a.m. on Monday, July 13.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association said Brigham nurses ended their strike at 6:59 a.m. on Thursday, July 9, and planned to return to work at 7:00 a.m., but expected to be locked out for four additional days by Mass General Brigham. The union said nurses would continue picketing at the hospital’s main campus until the lockout ends at 6:59 a.m. July 13.
MGB Home Care clinicians are also on strike in a separate seven-day walkout that began Wednesday, July 8, and is scheduled to continue until July 15. That bargaining unit includes registered nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech language pathologists, social workers and dieticians, according to the MNA.
Mass General Brigham does not describe the post-strike period as a lockout in its public FAQ, instead calling it a five-day work stoppage. The hospital said bargaining-unit members are not able to work during that period and individual nurses cannot cross the picket line to work.
The MNA said the strike resulted from stalled negotiations involving about 4,000 Brigham nurses and 450 MGB Home Care clinicians. Brigham nurses in the MNA voted June 16 to authorize a one-day strike after more than seven months of bargaining. The union said nurses are seeking contract terms that support recruitment and retention, competitive wage increases, affordable health insurance, and protections for patient care services.
The MNA added that MGB Home Care clinicians are seeking reasonable caseload limits, clear and transparent productivity standards and competitive wages that reflect the complexity of home care work and support recruitment and retention.
More: About 4,500 Mass General Brigham nurses and clinicians plan to strike on July 8
Mass General Brigham said the hospital remains open and operational during the work stoppage, with care and operations expected to continue mostly as normal. CBS Boston reported that Mass General Brigham hired nearly 1,300 replacement nurses to cover shifts during the five-day period. The hospital said patients would be contacted directly if any appointments or services are affected.
The hospital said its current wage proposal continues annual 5% increases for nurses moving through the 20-step wage scale and includes additional increases for nurses who have reached the top step. Brigham said the MNA’s proposal would add more than $128 million in nursing labor costs and increase overall BWH nursing wage costs by 19%.
Governor Maura Healey has also intervened in the dispute. The MNA said Healey brought union representatives and Mass General Brigham officials together at the State House Wednesday, where nurses and clinicians told the governor they were prepared to continue negotiating until contract resolutions are reached. The union said Healey urged both sides to return to bargaining.
“We appreciate the Governor’s willingness to bring both sides into her office to discuss our positions. We reiterated our interest in negotiating at any time to reach a fair agreement and resolve the strikes. The governor urged both sides to return to bargaining. We are waiting for MGB to respond,” the MNA said in a statement. Adding, “We detailed to the governor our grave concerns about the level of care MGB’s replacement workers are providing. Nurses and patient families have described harrowing conditions because MGB failed to staff adequately and hired nurses without proper qualifications. We stand ready to negotiate to resolution for both strikes.”
U.S. Senator Ed Markey also joined nurses for a scheduled rally at noon outside Brigham and Women’s Hospital at 75 Francis Street on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
