Nurses to Rally Against LCMC's Delays in Contract Negotiations at UMC

Nurses Rally for Improved Contract Terms at University Medical Center

Nurses from University Medical Center (UMC) in New Orleans are set to rally on Saturday, April 19, to bring attention to pressing patient safety issues, such as short-staffing and workplace violence, and to protest the alleged stalling tactics by LCMC in the ongoing contract negotiations. This event was announced by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

"Our community deserves to know what we are fighting for, and our top priority in a first contract is to have a direct voice in improving the care our patients receive at University Medical Center," stated Kisha Montes, a nurse in the UMC behavioral health unit. Montes noted that inadequate staffing, insufficient supplies, and stagnant wages are significant factors driving nurses away from bedside roles. "We demand that LCMC stop its stall tactics in contract negotiations and work with us to finalize a strong contract that improves our profession and the patient care we deliver every day," she added.

Details of the Rally:

Who: University Medical Center registered nurses and nurse practitioners

What: Rally for a strong contract

When: Saturday, April 19, 7:45 a.m.

Where: Champions Square, at the intersection of Lasalle St. and Poydras St., below the Garage 1 sign

Nurses at UMC began negotiating their first contract with LCMC in March 2024, following a historic union victory in December 2023. The concerns of short staffing, workplace violence, and insufficient benefits led to an overwhelming vote in favor of unionization, marking the first instance of such a victory at a private hospital in Louisiana. Nurses argue that LCMC has minimized their concerns and has instead employed delay tactics, resulting in two strikes by the nurses seeking progress in negotiations.

"For over a year, we have been negotiating a first contract with LCMC to address widespread issues on patient care, staffing, and working conditions of nurses," said Dorothy Stencel, a nurse in the medical intensive care unit. "We are out here speaking to our community and engaging them about why it is so important for us to win a strong first contract that will enable us to improve the care our community receives by improving staffing and working conditions for nurses."

The NNOC/NNU currently represents over 600 registered nurses and nurse practitioners at University Medical Center New Orleans.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.