Nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, have scheduled an indefinite strike starting at 7am on Thursday 12 November 2026, unless a contract agreement is reached first, the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) announced on Sunday, 1 November.
The move comes after nurses voted on 23 October to reject the hospital’s “last, best and final” contract offer. The union, which represents about 4,000 nurses at the hospital, had previously scheduled a strike for 14 October but paused it to hold that vote.
What the dispute is about
According to reporting by Boston.com, the main sticking point is pay rises:
- The union wants across-the-board increases for all nurses.
- The hospital’s offer contained no across-the-board raises. Instead it offered two 2.5% raises for the most tenured nurses at the top of the pay scale, alongside existing step increases as nurses progress.
- The union is also seeking limits on the use of temporary nurses and more choice in health insurance.
The hospital’s position
Mass General Brigham says its nurses are among the best paid in the market. The hospital says new graduate nurses earn just under $87,000 a year, with 5% increases over 20 years, and that about 30% of its nurses earn at least $220,000 a year. It said it hoped to avoid a strike but has contingency plans to keep providing safe care during any stoppage.
The union’s position
The MNA says nurses are ready to strike but also ready to negotiate a fair contract. It accuses the hospital of delaying bargaining and not negotiating in good faith, and says a federal mediator reported that the hospital did not want to keep meeting, citing a “practical impasse”. Negotiations have lasted about 11 months; the 28th bargaining session is scheduled for 9 November.
Nurses authorised an indefinite strike in September by a vote of 2,986 to 215. Sunday’s announcement meets the 10-day notice requirement for strikes at US healthcare institutions.
Background
Brigham nurses held a one-day strike on 8 July, after which the hospital locked them out for four more days, citing its contracts with temporary replacement nurses. If the November strike goes ahead, it could be the largest open-ended nurse strike in Massachusetts history.
Why it matters beyond Boston
The dispute reflects tensions seen across the US in 2026 over pay, the use of temporary and agency staff, and conditions in large hospital systems. Many internationally educated nurses work in US academic hospitals; under US labour law, they have the same rights as other employees in unionised workplaces, including participating in lawful strikes. Nurses considering US jobs should ask whether a hospital is unionised and read the contract terms.
Related: Brigham nurses reject “best and final” offer · CommonSpirit Memorial union vote
Source: Boston.com (1 November 2026). We’ll update if an agreement is reached.