More Than 1,000 Pittsburgh Nurses Could Go On Strike

PITTSBURGH, PA — Nurses at Allegheny General Hospital on Pittsburgh's North Side, have voted to authorize a potential strike. The hospital, Allegheny Health Network's flagship medical care facility, has 1,200 unionized nurses.

The vote was taken as nurses have asked for increased compensation, for hospital staffing shortages to be remedied and other improvements designed to increase safety conditions for nurses and patients.

Service Employees International Union Healthcare Pennsylvania, which represents the nurses, said a strike notice could be imminent.

“Our patients deserve the best care when they enter our hospital," said Annale Yobi, an AGH LifeFlight nurse and union officer.

"The fact that most hospitals have staffing shortages doesn’t mean that nurses have to accept it. We hope to reach an agreement without a strike, but we’re standing up to say ‘no more’ and we will do what it takes to protect ourselves and our patients."

For now, the nurses are working under contract terms negotiated in 2020. The pact expired last week.

In July, AGH nurses held a news conference on the North Side to call for increased staffing levels.