PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, February 11th, 2026

CONTACT: Megan Othersen Gorman / [email protected] / (215) 817-5781

Ashley Berry-Johnson / [email protected] / (267) 990-5505

Download Video From the Informational Picket Here

NURSES AND TECHS AT WILLS EYE HOSPITAL IN PHILADELPHIA HELD THEIR FIRST EVER INFORMATIONAL PICKET TO CALL ATTENTION TO SERIOUS PATIENT CARE AND WORKPLACE SAFETY CONCERNS

“Keeping our head above water isn’t enough. It doesn’t support retention, and it does not reflect the skill and responsibility required in perioperative nursing and hospital care.”

Philadelphia, PA – Sixty-plus Wills Eye Hospital caregivers rallied outside the hospital today, raising urgent concerns about patient care and workplace safety in the first informational picket ever in the Union’s history. Currently negotiating a new contract, the RNs and techs are calling for management to prioritize the recruitment, retention, and protection of skilled caregivers.

NOTE: An informational picket is an event that helps raise public awareness; the caregivers who attended the picket were either off from work or on a break.

The caregivers’ previous contract expired on January 31.

“We love where we work – but the reality is that inflation, rising healthcare costs, and workplace safety are real issues we can’t ignore,” said surgical tech and President of Wills Eye Nurses and Techs United (WENT) Melinda Hayes, who kicked off the rally. “Fair wages, strong security, successorship, and affordable healthcare aren’t extras. Being able to afford to come to work isn’t extra. They’re what allow us to show up every day and provide the best possible care to our patients.”

The historic informational picket follows weeks of stalled negotiations over critical issues that directly affect patient care, staff retention, and workplace safety.

“Safety shouldn’t require public pressure,” said Wills Eye PACU Nurse Anne Wagner, RN. “It should be proactive, not reactive.”

Healthcare workers were joined by state Senator Nikil Saval and Philadelphia City Council Member Nicolas O’Rourke, who stood in solidarity with WENT members on the picket line.

Wills Eye nurses and technicians say they remain committed to reaching a fair agreement that protects patients, strengthens their workforce, and ensures the hospital’s long-term stability, so they can continue providing the high-quality care their patients deserve.

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Wills Eyes Nurses and Techs United is an affiliate of PASNAP, the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, which represents more than 11,000 frontline nurses and healthcare professionals across Pennsylvania and was founded 25 years ago on the belief that critical care patients do better when their caregivers have a strong voice to advocate for their patients and themselves.