Filipino American Nurses Take Stand in Brigham Strike

Editor's note: This story appeared originally in AsAmNews.

A nurse strike at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in July, the first of its kind at the Boston hospital and the largest in Massachusetts history, is bringing Asian American nurses -- many of them Filipino -- out, some for the first time.

One operating room nurse from the Philippines said this was the first time she has joined a strike in the 23 years working at the Brigham.

“We want safe staffing, enough staffing to take care of the patient,” she said, adding she is striking in solidarity with floor nurses who, due to high turnover rates of temporary nurses, are taking hits in shift coverage.

Of 1,400 employees at Brigham and Women’s, the 4,000-nursing staff showed up to Wednesday’s strike.

Nurses are striking because of what they say is a lack of a cost-of-living wage increase in their upcoming contract, negotiated by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) with Mass General Brigham (MGB). With an inflation rate of 3.8% raising the cost of living and an increased healthcare premium, a zero percent raise would mean a pay cut. The current contract will also increase premiums of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care plans by 2.5% or $10 for individuals and $25 for families, according to a MGB spokesperson.

One operating room nurse from Manila in the Philippines, who has worked at the Brigham for 20 years, said she is striking for respect.

“Offering a zero percent raise is not right with inflation. It’s not even covering costs,” she said.

She also hopes to see more clinical workers in leadership, noting that management should not decide medical decisions.

“We are striking not only for the money, but for patient safety. We are striking not only for nurses, but every member of the hospital, aside from the management,” she added.

Nurses on strike in Longwood medical area in Boston in June. Photo by Yolanda Wang.

In response to nurses’ demands, a MGB spokesperson quoted Brigham nurses as “amongst the highest compensated in the market,” citing a 5% step raise and 3% across-the-board raise instituted last October. MGB said MNA’s proposal would increase nursing labor, which accounts for 18% of their workforce, costs to nearly 1 billion dollars, accounting for 50% of all BWH labor costs to an already sizeable $746 million budget for nursing labor.

But recent STAT News reporting found MGB gaining a $2.4 billion net margin last year, with their chief executive officer Anne Klibanski being compensated $8.4 million as of 2024.

MNA President Katie Murphy, Boston city councilor Ruthzee Louijeune, and state senator Michael Brady called out hospital management and executives for prioritizing profit over quality of staff and healthcare by stalling contract negotiations.

“You mess with one of us, you mess with 4,000,” Murphy said.

When asked whether they felt their interests were represented by their union, Asian nurses equivocally felt their union had their back, despite the lack of Asian leadership in MNA. Asian nurses represent 4.5% of all Massachusetts nurses as of 2022.

A Filipino nurse from Miami, Florida, said Brigham and Women’s strong nurse union drew him to work in the Boston area when he first attended nursing school eight years ago.

“I’m very grateful to the union,” he said. Now, as an emergency department nurse, he hopes for a fair wage.

“We come in every day to work hard. We’ve been on our feet twelve hours a day helping the most vulnerable, and we are not respected,” he said.

He said he would continue showing up for his shift once the one-day strike is over, even if he might be refused at the door. 

Associate Director of Massachusetts Nurse Association Sharanya Sridhar shared that this has been the first contract with a zero percent raise, and negotiations have stalled since last November. Due to temporary contracts made to cover the one-day strike, nurses will be locked out of the hospital until Monday. Sridhar said nurses are willing to come back to work after the strike if hospital management called, but they so far have not.

As police fielded traffic on Francis Street, cars drove by, filled with supporters honking fog horns, and strikers ringing cow bells and banging plastic buckets. Nurses sported T-shirts saying “Union Strong” and “Brigham Nurses United,” while some held more provocative signs such as “At least the blood on our hands washes off.” The union will continue striking 24/7, even if that means at night when they would normally be working.