The courageous nurses of St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts went out on strike earlier this year over nurse to patient ratios and a declining level of care in the hospital. In mid-June, their strike passed the 100 day mark, making it the longest nurses’ strikes in over a decade and the second longest strike in Massachusetts history.
PLP stands in militant support of the strike, and members of PLP have been active on the picket line. This historic moment provides an opportunity and responsibility for communists to reflect on our role in labor struggles. Over the past century, communists have often fought alongside striking workers, and have worked to raise the consciousness of workers from economism and reformism to a revolutionary class consciousness. Part of that is uplifting a myriad of social and political grievances alongside important worker concerns like wages and benefits. We should seek to be guided by their actions.
I recorded the following interview with two PLP members who have been active with the St Vincent nurses. We discuss the strike and how their political work has been guided by these principles.
Challenge Radio: Boston 