MNA: Smith College RNs, NPs, and Therapists to Host Community Forum on November 20 Spotlighting the Importance of their Union and a Fair Contract in Providing Effective and Inclusive Student Health Services

Smith College administrators have failed to meet the needs of students by making minimal movement in contract negotiations with unionized RNs, NPs, and Therapists providing health services at the Schact Center

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and therapists at the Schacht Center for Health and Wellness at Smith College will host a Community Forum on November 20 to bring attention to why they have a union and what they are fighting for together. The clinicians, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have been in contract negotiations since May and have seen little progress from Smith administrators.

Community Forum Details
Date: Wednesday, November 20
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Location: At the Campus Center, TV Lounge, 100 Elm St. Northampton

There is a growing need for mental health and medical care on campus post-pandemic. Smith has recently committed to making temporary positions permanent. Health services staff are advocating for continued investment in these critical positions. Without robust staffing, it is more difficult for RNs, NPs, and Therapists to do their jobs effectively and for the college to provide high-quality care.

In light of the results of the November 2024 federal election, Smith should be investing more than ever in services affecting women, trans rights and overall healthcare. The Smith administration has said they are committed to providing reproductive and gender affirming care to students, but their actions at the bargaining table do not align with these statements.

Schact Center therapists recently joined the MNA to gain a legally protected voice with the goal of working with their union colleagues to make positive change for clinicians, students, and the entire campus community. 

"We provide an essential service to our campus community, and our campus partners frequently rely on our services to support Smith students for any number of sudden events, both on campus and in the wider world," the therapists wrote at the time to Kris Evans, Director, Schacht Center for Health and Wellness. "Securing a legally protected voice as part of a union will help us to provide honest input on these issues. Forming a union will also enable us to work cooperatively with Smith College administration to develop and implement solutions that are informed by staff experience."

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Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association