About 1,700 University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics nurses plan to go on an open-ended strike Nov. 13, the nurses’ union announced Friday afternoon.
The strike would be the second time the nurses have walked off the job since August. The union, the Illinois Nurses Association, and UI Health have additional negotiating sessions planned before Nov. 13, meaning a strike may still be averted.
The nurses’ four-year contract expired Aug. 19. They have been asking for better security protocols to prevent attacks on nurses at the hospital and for more pay, among other things. The health system has proposed annual raises of less than 3%, according to the union.
UI Health said in a statement Friday, “Although we are disappointed the INA arrived at this action, we remain committed to maintaining all critical operations of the Hospital & Clinics during a potential work stoppage.”
“We have in place comprehensive plans to anticipate, respond to, and mitigate staffing disruptions that may occur over the coming weeks, including a process to secure nursing agency staff, ensuring that in the event of a strike our patients continue to receive the outstanding care they need,” UI Health said in the statement.
Earlier this week, after the nurses voted to authorize the strike, UI Health said in a statement that the majority of its nurses are paid better than 90% of nurses in the Chicagoland area.
The nurses last went on strike for a week in August — a walkout that occurred during the Democratic National Convention, much of which was held at the United Center, which sits near University of Illinois Hospital.
Before that strike, a Cook County Circuit Court judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting 91 nurses per shift — including those who worked in intensive care units and the emergency department — from going on strike in order to “avoid or remove any clear and present danger to the health or safety of the public.” The judge’s order came after a request by the University of Illinois board of trustees.
The nurses also went on strike for a week in 2020.
