Nurses at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in Center City have voted to authorize an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike following more than a year of negotiations without meaningful progress toward a fair first contract.
Nurses issued a legally required ULP strike notice to Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation on Thursday. This action follows repeated unfair labor practices, including unilateral changes to working conditions without bargaining with the union and disparate treatment related to protected union activity, undermining their rights and the collective bargaining process. The decision to go out on a ULP strike was not taken lightly, but nurses are united in holding the employer accountable.
“Standing together is the only path forward to protect the future of our profession and the quality of care our communities rely on,” said Jody Burton, LPN at Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. “We are fighting for a fair first contract that provides safe working conditions, strengthens our workforce and helps ensure patient safety while they receive the care they deserve.”
Issues at the Bargaining Table
Hazelden Betty Ford nurses have been in negotiations since January 2025 when nearly 60 nurses including Licensed Practice Nurses (LPNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs) voted for union representation. Since then, they have raised repeated concerns about patient safety, working conditions, and workforce sustainability.
“We believe every nurse deserves to have a seat at the table and the protections needed to provide high-quality care to patients with serious medical and psychiatric needs,” said Burton. “We have spent months negotiating with our employer who continues to ignore the priorities of the frontline professionals who provide care every day. Hazelden nurses have spoken with a unified voice: we are determined and taking the necessary action to achieve a fair contract.”
What’s Next
Nurses will begin their ULP strike on Wednesday, July 15. They remain committed to reaching a fair first contract with their employer, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and to finding solutions to meaningful progress forward for patients.
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