Nurses at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute – Merrimack Valley are striking Wednesday to push for a new contract for wages and benefits comparable to their colleagues at Dana-Farber's Boston hospital.
Negotiations for a new contract began about 10 months ago. The Massachusetts Nurses Association, which represents the nurses at the cancer center, is pushing for a wage scale based on years of experience, yearly increases and a general wage increase in 2024.
The MNA proposed step increases at 4.5% each year, while the hospital proposed step increases at 3.75% each year, according to the union.
The MNA's proposed wage increases would place salaries around 10-15% less than what DFCI nurses in Boston earn. According to the union, the hospital's proposal would give Merrimack Valley nurses about 24% less than what their counterparts make in Boston.
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