Striking Mass. nurse accuses hospital of 'psychological warfare'

The Massachusetts Nursing Association says that striking St.

Vincent's Hospital nurses already received the majority of their unemployment benefits, reacting to a hospital announcement regarding benefits.

The Department of unemploymentassistance, siding with ST Vincent'shospital and cutting unemploymentbenefits to striking nurses.

This isjust about breaking our will and ourresolve and it won't happen.

In astatement ST Vincent's hospital said.We understand and are concerned thatthis decision may cause hardship forstriking nurses.

We believe theproposed contract once ratified willprovide an immediate significantimprovement in economic benefits thatcan help offset this hardship.

But themassachusetts nursing Associationexplains that the healthcare workers onstrike already received the majority oftheir benefits.

The nurses have been onstrike for 213 days.

This ispsychological warfare.

We had 26 weeksof unemployment benefits.

We were atweek 24 to lose a couple of weeks isnothing in comparison to what ourpatients are going through.

It's asmall sacrifice.

The D.

U.

A.

Decidedthose benefits ended as of August sevenand whoever collected benefits.

Sincethen we'll have to pay the state back.The massachusetts Nursing Associationis appealing the decision.

We wereheroes a year ago in the last sevenmonths.

We've been just intimidated andmaligned.

If there was real concern ontheir part, they would come back to thetable.Yeah.Now the union says because of thatappeal, the nurses will not have to payback any money while that's underlitigation