Mass General Brigham nurses begin largest strike in Massachusetts over pay and benefits

Thousands of nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital walked off the job on Wednesday, marking the first strike at the Harvard‑affiliated facility and the largest nurses walkout in the state’s history.

The nurses, many wearing "Union Strong" and "Brigham Nurses United" shirts, gathered on Francis Street with picket signs demanding higher wages and lower insurance costs.

The strike follows months of stalled contract talks between the hospital system and the nurses' union, with both sides unable to reach an agreement on pay raises and benefit terms.

Hospital officials have said patient care will continue, but the walkout underscores growing labor tensions in the region’s health‑care sector.