Nurses At Pittsburgh Hospital Authorize Strike

PITTSBURGH, PA — About 1,500 Allegheny General Hospital nurses have voted to authorize a strike and to hold an upcoming informational picket if stalled negotiations don't progress.

Nurses voted 99 percent for both moves, according to the Service Employees International Union Healthcare PA. The picketing is scheduled to occur on Oct. 29.

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The current contract was set to expire Oct. 13, but was extended until Oct. 30 so negotiations could continue.

Union officials contended in a news release that the number of patients at the hospital, which the hit medical TV drama "The Pitt" is based on, has been on the rise each year.

While the hospital has the highest sickness level in Western Pennsylvania, the union asserted the the Allegheny Health Network, which operates the North Side hospital under the auspices of the nonprofit corporation Highmark, hasn't meant those increasing patient needs.

"Nurses at AGH are tired, burned out and overworked," said Lacey Matthews, a registered nurse of nearly two decades who works in the hospital surgical care center."It's time for AHN-Highmark to invest in staffing, retaining and supporting us so we can meet the increasing needs of our community."

Union officials also noted that that Allegheny Health Network made $160 million in profits and parent corporation Highmark Health made $2 billion in just the first half of this year.