Brigham and Women's 4,000 Nurses Return After 1-Day Strike, 6-Day Lockout
Updated
Updated · WCVB Boston · Jul 13
Brigham and Women's 4,000 Nurses Return After 1-Day Strike, 6-Day Lockout
3 articles · Updated · WCVB Boston · Jul 13
Summary
6:59 a.m. Monday marked the end of Massachusetts' largest nursing strike and lockout, with nearly 4,000 Brigham and Women's Hospital nurses returning to work.
The walkout began as a one-day strike last week, but hospital management kept nurses out through Monday to honor contracts with nearly 1,300 temporary replacement nurses.
Mass General Brigham said patient care remained high-quality during the stoppage and accused picketers of disrupting access, deliveries and the healing environment in a cease-and-desist letter.
Nurses said community support sustained daily picketing and that the dispute is still unresolved, with bargaining expected to resume under mediation.
After the historic strike, can a healthcare giant regain the trust of its own doctors and nurses?
With nurse strikes surging nationally, is this dispute a preview of a larger crisis for US healthcare?
When 'people over profits' is the cry, how can massive hospitals balance patient care with their corporate bottom line?
Locked Out and Still Fighting: The 2026 Brigham and Women’s Hospital Nurses’ Five-Day Strike and Its Aftermath
Overview
Nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital returned to work on July 13, 2026, after a five-day lockout initiated by Mass General Brigham management. During the lockout, essential nurses were absent, raising significant patient safety concerns. Despite their return, the core contract dispute between the Massachusetts Nurses Association and hospital management remains unresolved, with no new negotiations scheduled. Nurses condemned the confrontation, blaming management for forcing the situation. This ongoing impasse highlights deep frustration among nurses over pay and working conditions, and leaves the future of their contract and patient care uncertain.