Saint Mary’s RNs to Picket Against Unlawful Nurse Terminations

Protest Over Unlawful Termination at Reno's Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center

Registered nurses from Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) in Reno, Nevada, are set to hold an informational picket on Thursday, June 11, to address concerns over the hospital administration's alleged anti-union tactics and their reluctance to negotiate a fair contract. This event is organized by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

The nurses' protest follows the termination of two registered nurses who were active union leaders, a move they claim was unjust and a direct result of their lawful union advocacy. The nurses are calling for Prime Healthcare, the managing body, to reinstate these nurses and agree on contract terms that prioritize patient safety and invest in the nursing staff. Negotiations for a new contract have been ongoing since July 2025, but progress has been hindered by Prime's unwillingness to engage constructively on essential issues.

"SMRMC’s unjust firing of two nurse leaders is in direct retaliation to our push for a fair contract that supports patient safety and nurse retention,” said Rubell Peterson, RN, from the telemetry unit. “This is a scare tactic to push nurses to accept an offer that does not adequately support us. Nurses are the reason why SMRMC won multiple awards for patient safety, but we won't stay if we experience retaliation and disrespect."

Event Details

Who: Registered nurses at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center

What: Informational picket demanding a fair contract and reinstatement of wrongfully terminated nurse leaders

When: Thursday, June 11, 2026, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Where: Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, corner of N. Arlington Ave. and 6th St.

Laura Parkhouse, RN, also from the telemetry unit, stated, “Nurses who work at Saint Mary’s navigate so many challenges each day while trying to serve the members of our community in their most vulnerable moments. Those challenges require nurses to lean on one another when we face difficulties. Prime must respect our right to stand together to protect our patients and one another without fear of retaliation.”

The NNOC, representing 350 nurses at SMRMC, informed their employer on June 1 about the upcoming picket. This follows a one-day strike on Feb. 18 to press management to invest in nursing staff and agree to a contract ensuring safe staffing and practices to recruit and retain nurses amidst high turnover rates.

Prime Healthcare operates over 50 hospitals in 15 states, employing 60,000 healthcare workers. Concurrently, nurses at Prime-owned Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, who have initiated joining NNOC, plan a one-day strike on June 11 to protest the administration’s illegal firing of six nurses in retaliation for union activities.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States, with over 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.

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