We are a unionized frontline care force that is going on strike starting on Monday. We are one of the the largest neurodiagnostic and prognostic care teams in the US. We staff your neuro ICUs, your cardiac ICUs, your pediatric and neonatal ICUs. We are there to figure out why the patient has altered mental status, is seizing, why they won’t wake up, or whether or not they are brain dead. We were there for every COVID patient that had a brain injury due to lack of oxygen/cardiac arrest. We are there 24/7/365 days a year.
We have been told that our department is no longer profitable. That they can only afford a 0.75% annual raise increase despite our census nearly doubling since we negotiated three years ago.
They have burned us out by consistently understaffing us at levels that compromise care. They have threatened our large department if we don’t comply with their offer. In two weeks, all of us may have our employment terminated. We are scared, but know that we can’t afford to compromise for less than inflation. Our several thousand patients we serve each year deserve the care we provide.