About 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), are set to vote Sept. 24, 2026 on authorizing an indefinite strike, the Boston Globe reported Sept. 15. If members authorize a strike, Massachusetts law requires a 10-day notice period before any work stoppage could begin — so a yes vote sets up leverage for the union, not an immediate walkout.
What the dispute is about
The fight centers on two issues. On compensation, the union is seeking a 3% raise for the first six months of a new contract and 4% for the following 12 months, while the hospital has offered no new across-the-board increase, pointing instead to existing step increases and citing nurse pay it says already ranks in the top 10% nationally. On health coverage, the union wants nurses given the option to switch from the MGB Health Plan to Harvard Pilgrim, which the hospital currently restricts.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Nurses voting | ~4,000 |
| Vote date | Sept. 24, 2026 |
| Strike type | Indefinite, if authorized |
| Union wage ask | 3% first 6 months, 4% next 12 months |
| Hospital’s offer | No new across-the-board raise; existing step increases |
| Health plan dispute | Union wants option to switch to Harvard Pilgrim |
| Notice required before any walkout | 10 days, under Massachusetts law |
Not the first strike vote this year at Brigham
This is a continuation, not a new dispute. Brigham nurses held a one-day strike on July 8, 2026 — the largest nurses’ strike in Massachusetts history — and the hospital responded with a four-day lockout and temporary replacement staff. Months later, with negotiations still stalled, the union is putting a broader, indefinite strike authorization in front of members.
A separate story from the Boston Medical Center vote
This is a distinct dispute from the roughly 2,000 Boston Medical Center nurses represented by 1199SEIU, who authorized a three-day strike earlier in September. Different hospital, different union, different health system — but the same citywide pattern: Boston-area nurses are backing strike votes within days of each other this fall, echoing the broader surge in U.S. nurse strikes over staffing and wages throughout 2026.
What a strike vote means for a nurse’s own coverage
Nurses and other healthcare union members are again weighing what a strike vote means for their paycheck and benefits in the short term. A prolonged dispute, a lockout, or a forced switch between health plans can all interrupt coverage that’s tied to an employer. Coverage that is not tied to a hospital’s health plan or contingent on which insurer the employer picks — like an individually owned final expense or whole life policy — keeps working the same way whether a member is on the job, on a picket line, or between health plans.
For nurses weighing their own coverage during a long negotiation, our union members coverage page, whole life and final expense pages, and free calculator are good starting points.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When do Brigham and Women's Hospital nurses vote on a strike?
About 4,000 nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, are set to vote Sept. 24, 2026 on authorizing an indefinite strike. A yes vote authorizes a strike; it does not set a strike date, and Massachusetts law requires 10 days' notice before any walkout could begin.
Is this the same dispute as the Boston Medical Center nurses' strike vote?
No. Brigham and Women's Hospital nurses are represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, while Boston Medical Center nurses are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. They are separate hospitals, separate unions, and separate negotiations, part of the same citywide wave of Boston-area nurse contract fights this fall.
Why does a strike vote matter for a nurse's own life insurance coverage?
Nurses weighing a strike vote are also weighing what happens to their paycheck and benefits in the short term. Coverage that isn't tied to a hospital's health plan or contingent on which insurer the employer picks, like an individually owned final expense or whole life policy, keeps working the same way whether a member is on the job, on a picket line, or between health plans.
Coverage that holds steady through any labor dispute
A licensed United Trust Life agent can help nurses and healthcare union families find final expense or whole life coverage with a rate that doesn’t depend on a hospital’s health plan — free, and no pressure.
See Whole Life Options →