Mass General Brigham Locks Out 4,000 Striking Boston Nurses

Approximately 4,000 nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and 450 home care clinicians launched a strike on July 8, 2026, marking the largest nursing walkout in Massachusetts history. While the hospital nurses intended for a one-day action, Mass General Brigham (MGB) implemented a four-day lockout through July 13 to honor contracts with approximately 1,300 to 1,600 temporary replacement workers. Simultaneously, home care clinicians began a strike scheduled to last through July 15.

The dispute centers on failed negotiations over wages, health insurance, and patient safety. The Massachusetts Nurses Association seeks cost-of-living increases, while MGB claims the union's proposal would add $128 million in labor costs. Tensions escalated on July 9 during a medical emergency; MGB accused picketing nurses of interfering with emergency response, while the union alleged that replacement staff were unable to navigate the facility and failed to respond to a "code blue" call.

Governor Maura Healey hosted a two-hour meeting between both parties on Wednesday to broker a settlement, but no agreement was reached. Other officials, including Senator Ed Markey, Mayor Michelle Wu, and Senator Elizabeth Warren, joined picket lines to support the nurses. MGB maintains that patient safety remains its highest priority and that the hospital remains fully operational despite the closure of the Foxborough Ambulatory Surgery Center.