New Orleans nurses strike for second time

University Medical Center hold two-day strike

By Lucy Diavolo

National Nurse magazine - Jan | Feb | March 2025 Issue

Nurses at University Medical Center (UMC) in New Orleans, Louisiana, held a two-day strike on February 5 and 6. This was the second strike at UMC as nurses continue to demand progress on a first union contract with their employer, LCMC Health. Nurses at UMC are represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU). RNs say management’s union-busting stall tactics have stonewalled contract negotiations.

After the strike announcement, nurses said they were gravely disappointed management made the decision to lock them out for three days following the strike, meaning staff nurses would not be able to work their usual shifts at UMC during Super Bowl weekend.

"We didn’t take this decision lightly," said Shonda Franklin, RN in the float pool. “But so many of us are tired of seeing our fellow nurses leave UMC because management can't ensure basic things like uninterrupted lunch breaks on our 12-hour shifts. It's time for a change, and a strong contract is how we get that done."

“We would rather be inside taking care of our patients than out on strike,” said Kisha Montes, RN in the behavioral health unit at UMC. “But management’s antics have left us feeling like we have no choice. We have to show them how committed we are to the fight for a fair contract. The last month has only demonstrated how urgent this is for us and our patients.”

UMC nurses overwhelmingly voted to join NNOC in December 2023 and have been in negotiations for a first contract since March 2024. Nurses urged management to work together to agree to a contract that addresses their concerns and makes UMC the kind of hospital the people of New Orleans deserve. NNOC represents nearly 600 nurses at UMC.