BOSTON — Thousands of nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital walked off the job Wednesday morning, July 8, in what the Massachusetts Nurses Association described as the largest strike of nurses and health care professionals in state history. The strike began at 7 a.m. outside the hospital’s main campus on Francis Street and comes after months of stalled contract negotiations between the union and Mass General Brigham.

The walkout centers on issues that have become familiar across the health care industry: pay, benefits, staffing stability, and the long-term ability to recruit and retain experienced nurses. According to the union, the action involves about 4,000 Brigham nurses, along with roughly 450 Mass General Brigham Home Care clinicians who began a separate seven-day strike the same day.

For readers following the original local coverage, Patch first reported the one-day strike as nurses began picketing in Boston. The Massachusetts Nurses Association has also posted a detailed strike update outlining the union’s position, picketing locations, and bargaining concerns.

For patients and families, the immediate message from Brigham and Women’s Hospital is that the hospital remains open. In its public update, the hospital said it is prepared to provide high-quality, safe patient care and advised patients to continue coming to scheduled appointments unless they hear directly from their care team. The hospital also warned that patients and visitors may see heavier vehicle and pedestrian traffic near the main campus because of picketing.

Although the union scheduled a one-day strike for Brigham nurses, the hospital says the work stoppage is expected to last five days, ending July 13 at 7 a.m. Brigham says this is tied to the need to bring in temporary nurses for continuity of care and to meet temporary staffing requirements. Patients can review the hospital’s official Brigham and Women’s update for current guidance.

What the Dispute Is About

At the heart of the dispute is compensation. Brigham nurses receive annual step increases during their first 20 years on the job, but the current disagreement involves additional raises beyond those step increases. The union has argued that nurses need wage improvements that reflect the cost of living and the pressures of the job, while hospital officials have said the union’s wage proposal would be too costly.

The two sides are also divided over health insurance costs and the use of temporary workers. The Massachusetts Nurses Association says nurses are seeking a contract that supports recruitment and retention, affordable health insurance and limits on the use of temporary travel nurses. Brigham and Women’s says it has reached tentative agreements on several issues and remains committed to competitive pay and strong benefits.

The strike has also drawn the attention of local and federal elected officials, who urged both the union and Mass General Brigham to return to the bargaining table and reach a good-faith agreement. As the strike unfolded, state and city leaders also pushed for continued talks in hopes of resolving the dispute quickly.

What Patients Should Know

The most practical takeaway for Boston-area residents is that Brigham and Women’s Hospital says care is continuing, but travel around the Longwood Medical Area may be more complicated during picketing. Patients with appointments should watch for direct communication from their care teams and allow extra time if traveling to the main campus or affected ambulatory sites.

For Mass General Brigham Home Care patients, the system says the seven-day strike is expected to run from 8 a.m. July 8 through 7:59 a.m. July 15. Mass General Brigham says temporary licensed and credentialed clinicians have been brought in, and that some ancillary services, including dietician and speech-language therapy appointments, may be paused. Patients can read the Mass General Brigham Home Care update for more information.

For the broader community, the strike is more than a labor dispute at one hospital. Brigham and Women’s is one of Boston’s major medical institutions, and Mass General Brigham is the state’s largest health system. A walkout of this size touches patients, workers, families, and neighborhoods across Boston and beyond. Whether the dispute is resolved quickly or continues to shape negotiations in the coming days, it has already become a major moment in Massachusetts health care labor history.