NEW ORLEANS — Nearly 600 nurses at University Medical Center (UMC) are striking amid stalled contract negotiations with LCMC Health Systems as tensions grow following the UMC’s decision to bar striking nurses from working during the Super Bowl weekend.
In a statement issued on Feb. 7, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) said it “stands in solidarity with LCMC nurses as they fight for their right to collectively bargain and advocate for better patient care.”
The union is pressing for renewed negotiations aimed at securing its first labor contract, seeking better pay, improved staffing levels, and enhanced safety measures for both patients and staff.
Striking nurses say the urgency of their demands was highlighted following the Bourbon Street attack on New Year’s Day, claiming that the hospital was understaffed. However, the University Medical Center said in a statement that the hospital was fully equipped to handle the mass casualty event and that staff responded appropriately to the emergency.
The NFLPA further explained the reasoning for their support, stating “Over a year ago, these nurses made the courageous choice to organize and win a historic union election to improve conditions at University Medical Center. Now, instead of collaboration, they're facing a lockout during Super Bowl weekend.”
Nurses said the decision to strike during the week of the Super Bowl was strategic, according to the Gulf States Newsroom’s Drew Hawkins, and that it was aimed at drawing attention to their cause and pressuring administrators to return to the bargaining table.
“If we're getting further along in that and that feels like really meaningful dialogue and communication, then I think that would be a huge win,” said Hailey Dupré, a nurse at UMC and a member of the hospital’s union.
The NFLPA said that, with thousands of fans in town, the situation impacts everyone. “New Orleans is relying on this Level One Trauma Center,” the NFLPA statement said. “Replacing experienced nurses with temporary staff is a risk we can’t afford. When nurses have a voice, patients are safer. We urge LCMC administration to do the right thing:
• Respect nurses’ right to bargain
• Work toward a fair first contract
• Prioritize patient care over conflict
New Orleans, its people, and its visitors deserve the very best. Let’s support the nurses who support us.”
The strike was intended to last only two days — from Wednesday through Thursday — but hospital administrators have locked the striking nurses out through the weekend, citing obligations with the staffing company who brought in contract nurses to fill in during the strike. The hospital maintains that its priority remains the well-being of patients and that operations will continue as scheduled.
LCMC Health has not yet responded to requests for comment on the ongoing labor dispute. Negotiations remain at an impasse as both sides prepare for what could be a prolonged standoff—a situation that underscores broader challenges facing health care workers nationwide.
