Wichita nurses prepare one-day strike over safety concerns

Nurses at two Ascension hospitals in Wichita, Kansas, say they will move ahead with a one-day strike on July 6 to protest what they describe as hospital management’s refusal to address serious safety concerns at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis and Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph. The nurses are represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United, the country’s largest nurses union.

The union said the strike is intended to draw attention to workplace safety issues that nurses say have been raised for years. In a statement, the nurses said Ascension has downplayed those concerns and has not taken enough action to prevent unsafe conditions before problems escalate.

“Since we formed our union, safety has been one of our top issues,” said Courtney Callum, RN in the emergency department at St. Joseph. “It’s unconscionable that Ascension waits for tragedies to occur before taking action. We’re striking to show them that action needs to be taken to prevent workplace violence before it happens.”

At St. Francis, picketing is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on E. Murdock Ave. in front of the hospital, with a rally planned for 9 a.m. At St. Joseph, picketing is set to begin at 7 a.m. on E. Harry St. near the corner with S. Clifton Ave., followed by a rally at 11 a.m. The source did not report additional details about picket shifts.

“Nurses and our co-workers show up every day to take care of the people of Wichita,” said Aaron Rauber, RN in neurological critical care at St. Francis. “We need Ascension to get serious about our safety proposals in our contract so we can make sure everyone who walks through our doors, staff or patients, knows they’re in a safe environment.”

The nurses also said they are aware that Ascension management has announced a retaliatory lockout for striking nurses. According to the statement, nurses view that move as punishment rather than a necessary staffing decision. They said there is no reason striking nurses could not return to work the day after the strike except for management’s decision-making.

RNs at the two Wichita hospitals unionized in 2022 and 2023 and won a first contract in 2024, according to the press release. NNOC/NNU said it represents nearly 1,200 nurses at St. Francis and St. Joseph.

National Nurses United described itself as the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States, with more than 225,000 members nationwide. Its affiliates include the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.