What Happened to Brigham and Women's Hospital Nurses Strike?

The Brigham and Women's Hospital Nurses Strike, which began on July 8, 2026, represents a significant labor dispute between approximately 4,000 registered nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), and Mass General Brigham (MGB), the parent organization of Brigham and Women's Hospital. This walkout is historic, being the largest nurses' strike ever in Massachusetts and the first at the renowned Harvard teaching hospital.

The roots of the strike trace back to contract negotiations that commenced in November 2025, with the previous contract expiring on March 31, 2026. Key sticking points in the negotiations have been substantial disagreements over wage increases and health insurance contributions. The MNA has sought a 3% across-the-board (ATB) raise for the first six months of a new contract, followed by a 4% ATB raise for the subsequent 12 months. In contrast, MGB has offered no new across-the-board raises, instead emphasizing existing annual 5% 'step increases' for nurses until they reach two decades of service, which the hospital states makes Brigham nurses among the highest paid in the state. Additionally, MGB proposed that nurses enrolled in the Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan, which includes over half of the union membership, pay an additional 2.5 percentage points more of their monthly premiums.

Beyond compensation, the union has also raised concerns about patient care, staffing levels, and the hospital's reliance on temporary travel nurses. The MNA argues that MGB's proposals would make it harder to recruit and retain permanent nurses, jeopardizing patient safety. The union has pointed to MGB's significant financial resources, including $35.8 billion in assets and $35.9 million in combined compensation for its top 14 executives in fiscal year 2024, as evidence that the hospital can afford better terms for its frontline staff.

Despite months of bargaining sessions, including intervention by a federal mediator and a meeting convened by Governor Maura Healey on July 7, 2026, no resolution was reached. The nurses voted by 99.6% on June 16, 2026, to authorize a one-day strike, and a 10-day strike notice was issued on June 26, 2026. The hospital, in anticipation, prepared extensive contingency plans, including hiring approximately 1,300 temporary nurses.

The strike officially began at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. While the MNA intended a one-day strike, MGB announced that nurses would be locked out for an additional four days, returning on July 13, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. This extended work stoppage is due to the hospital's contractual obligation to provide temporary replacement nurses with a minimum of five days of work. The dispute has caused anxiety among some patients and their families, who expressed concerns about the impact of temporary staff on continuity of care. Simultaneously, approximately 450 clinicians at MGB Home Care, who are also represented by the MNA and are negotiating their first union contract, also began a seven-day strike on July 8, 2026.