Nurses at one of Pittsburgh’s largest hospitals are on the verge of strike.

There are more than 1,200 nurses and nurse practitioners unionized at Allegheny General Hospital, and they voted Tuesday to deliver notice of a potential strike to hospital ownership if their requests for raises are not met, according to SEIU Healthcare union, which represents the nurses.

Union officials say that raises are needed to address staff shortages and make other safety improvements for patients and nurses. Nurses at Allegheny General Hospital, located in Pittsburgh’s North Side, are seeking a contract with a $40-an-hour minimum wage for nurses and significant increases for mid-career and senior nurses, according to SEIU.

“Our patients deserve the best care when they enter our hospital,” said Annale Yobbi, a Life Flight nurse at Allegheny General Hospital and union officer. “The fact that most hospitals have staffing shortages doesn’t mean that nurses have to accept it.”

A statement from Allegheny General Hospital said that “good-faith” negotiations are continuing between the hospital and the union, and the hospital is confident an agreement will be reached that is “fair and competitive for our employees.”

Hospitals in Pittsburgh and across the country have been dealing with persistent shortages since the covid pandemic began three years ago. Nurses have said that better pay and scheduling should help to address the shortages.

Yobbi said the Allegheny General nurses would like to avoid a strike, but this move shows the nurses are standing up and “will do what it takes to protect ourselves and our patients.” According to a 2022 study from the University of Pittsburgh, more than 93% of Pittsburgh-area nurses are thinking about leaving the profession due to stressful working conditions and staffing shortages.

Hospital officials said the intent letter is a normal part of negotiations, and does not mean a strike will occur. The union’s bargaining committee is now authorized a 10-day strike notice, officials said.

“With several additional bargaining sessions scheduled this week, we prefer to keep those discussions at the bargaining table, where they will be most productive in helping us achieve a resolution that is in the best interests of our nurses, our organization and the patients we care for,” read the statement from AGH. “We are hopeful that, as in the past, this will not be necessary, and we look forward to continuing constructive dialogue with the SEIU until an agreement is reached.”

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