The union representing about 800 nurses at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield is voting whether to authorize a second one-day strike. The union says it's frustrated about contract talks with Berkshire County's largest hospital.
The first strike took place in October, and contract negotiations have been going on for well over a year. The key sticking point remains nurse staffing levels at the facility.
Nurse Amber Van Bramer said taking the vote is one way to send a message to Berkshire Medical Center officials.
"I'm hoping that the hospital will still see that we're all on the same page as registered nurses and that we really do care about these patients in our community and the care they deserve to get around here," Van Bramer said.
In a letter to the nurses union, one hospital official said they felt like progress had been made in talks since the first strike, and expressed disappointment about the most recent vote.
