More than 650 unionized nurses at West Penn Hospital voted this week to authorize a strike notice to hospital management.

“West Penn management has failed to listen to, respect and invest in nurses during more than six months of negotiations,” the nurses said in statement Wednesday.

The release stated that a strike will occur only if the hospital fails to produce an investment to address nurse retention and recruitment. An official decision, and a date to stop working, should be finalized next week.

These negotiations come as a nurse staffing crisis rattles Western Pennsylvania health care centers.

“We want to work hard over the next week to try to reach a settlement that ensures our patients will continue to get the high-quality care they expect,” said Melissa Gates, a postpartum nurse at West Penn Hospital, in a press release. “We hope that management will not force us to strike, but we will do whatever it takes to stand up for our patients.”

West Penn nurses unionized with SEIU Healthcare last August. Since January, the union has been in negotiations with the West Penn administration to form their first union contract. The hospital, located in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood, is part of the Allegheny Health Network.

“This is a normal part of negotiations and it does not mean that a strike will occur,” said Dan Laurent, vice president of corporate communications at Allegheny Health Network, in response to the announcement. “Rather, this authorization gives the bargaining committee the authority to call a strike if they deem it appropriate. We are hopeful that, as in the past, this will not be necessary, and we look forward to continuing constructive dialogue with the SEIU until an agreement is reached.”

The union accuses West Penn management of pushing through the national nurse staffing crisis without addressing the issue. The nurses claim the hospital ignored their proposals on how to bring in new nurses and that administrators have not brought any different ideas to the negotiations.

“Nurses know what’s needed at the bedside and what we need to provide the best quality patient care. But we’re not being heard, which is particularly frustrating after the incredible dedication nurses have shown during the pandemic. These issues require immediate action. West Penn needs to step up and make a major investment to help us recover and rebuild our front lines,” said Sam Miller, a labor and delivery nurse at West Penn Hospital.

The next negotiation session is scheduled for July 29.

“We don’t want to go on strike. That is not what the goal is,” said Gates in a phone interview. “We expect for them to come to the table with the best proposals they have that meet the needs of both the nurses and patients.”

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