ST. LOUIS — After beginning a 24-hour strike on Monday, SSM Health and The National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United will continue bargaining for a new contract on Oct. 17.
Nurses said if their demands aren't met, they will plan for another 24 hours of action by striking.
As of Monday night, union nurses of The National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United were no longer manning the picket line, but they were still not at their patients' bedsides.
Their biggest demands: better pay, safer working conditions and improved staff retention.
St. Louis License Collector Mavis Thompson, who is a retired nurse, joined nurses at the picket line.
"Apparently it's not fair, because they're out here," Thompson said.
St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green also showed her support.
The National Nurses Organizing Committee and National Nurses United were the ones representing nurses on the picket lines and conducting the 24-hour strike.
They said they notified the hospital 10 days before the strike and had a 94% yes vote on striking.
"I recognize the need to render patient care, to be a bedside nurse," Kim Bacon said.
Bacon retired years ago but says she returned to work at SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital because of the pandemic.
"I want to be a part of the solution, not the problem," Bacon said.
Sarah DeWilde, a nurse of 10 years, is on the negotiating board. She said the problem goes back beyond this year's failed contract negations.
"Nurses have been without a raise since 2022," DeWilde said.
The union and SSM Health have been in negotiations since May. And nurses have been without a contract since June.
"So now three months later without a contract, an expired contract, we're here," DeWilde said.
SSM Health released a statement, which said in part: "Since Aug. 29, The National Nurses Organizing Committee has declined to respond or counter our proposals on key wage issues. Negotiations can only make progress when both sides are motivated and engaged," SSM Health said.
City leaders like Thompson said the demands nurses want are simple.
"Better pay, shorter hours, more people to take care of the sick people that are here in the hospital," Thompson said.