Front Line

Monday, August 9, marked the 155th day that nurses at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, have been on strike. At the center of the strike is a concern about working conditions and staffing, specifically the high nurse-to-patient ratio that nurses, represented by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, say makes it difficult to provide safe and sufficient care to every patient.

According to the union, negotiated proposals from Tenet Healthcare, the Dallas-based, investor-owned healthcare giant that owns St. Vincent Hospital, have failed to address the central staffing issue. Now, after union members rejected the latest contract offer, the hospital has announced that it is hiring permanent replacements. In this short documentary, we hear from nurses on the picket line in Worcester.

Writer, Photographer, Editor: Gino Canella

Camera: Canon C200

Lenses: 16-35mm; 50mm; 135mm

Audio: Sennheiser wireless lavalier