MNA: Nurses at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Milford Undaunted by Government Shutdown, will Persist in Unionizing for a Stronger Voice in Patient Care and Working Conditions Despite NLRB Closure and DFCI Voluntary Recognition Denial

Regardless of the federal government shutdown, nurses will forge ahead in their efforts to form a union and join the MNA to improve patient care, staffing, and workplace conditions at Dana-Farber in Milford

MILFORD, Mass., Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The federal government shutdown has temporarily closed the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) offices, blocking 34 registered nurses of Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center (DFCI) at Milford Regional Hospital from filing for an election on Wednesday, October 1. The nurses, who provide specialized cancer care for patients across the region, are seeking an election after DFCI refused to voluntarily recognize their union with the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) even though a strong majority of nurses signed union cards in support of joining the MNA.

The DFCI – Milford nurses are unionizing to secure a strong, legally protected voice in advocating for safe staffing, patient care conditions, and fair workplace practices. They are also seeking protection from retaliation and demanding an equal say in decisions that directly affect both their patients and their professional practice. The nurses are undeterred by the barriers created by DFCI and the shutdown and will move ahead with their election filing as soon as the NLRB re-opens.

Ultimately, the NLRB will oversee the election process and determine an election date. After a successful election, DFCI Milford nurses will join 800 nurses at Dana-Farber in Boston who have long been part of the MNA, 37 nurses at Dana-Farber – Merrimack Valley who ratified their first MNA contract in January 2024, and the 31 nurses at Dana-Farber – Foxborough who are currently negotiating their first MNA contract.

In recent years, hundreds of nurses and healthcare professionals across Massachusetts — from the Berkshires to Boston and beyond — have voted to join the MNA in response to growing challenges in healthcare. This unprecedented surge in unionization reflects caregivers' determination to protect their patients and themselves by securing a strong voice in workplace decisions. By uniting, nurses and healthcare professionals are pushing back against corporate-driven management practices that have fueled staff shortages and jeopardized the sustainability of patient care.

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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses and healthcare professionals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 26,000 members advance clinical practice by fostering high standards, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses and healthcare professionals in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of patient care, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on healthcare issues affecting caregivers and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association