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A group of nurses at Johns Hopkins Hospital are seeking to unionize, claiming that they are overworked and underpaid. They argue that shortages of nurses are putting the quality of patient care at serious risk. National Nurses United is working with these nurses and trying to rally enough support for a representation election. They would need a majority of the 3,200 nurses to sign cards expressing their interest in holding an election in order for the NLRB to approve their petition. The union’s regional collective bargaining director said that despite the hospital’s world-renowned reputation, turnover among their nursing staff is high, which she said has led to fewer experienced nurses and is a safety risk for patients. In 2014, the hospital dealt with a different labor conflict among their service workers, who staged a four-day strike following a negotiation impasse. The strike was ultimately successful, and Johns Hopkins agreed to phase-in a $15 minimum wage for longtime employees. The nurses do not yet have a timeline for their labor action, and it is unclear at this time when they hope to collect enough signatures for an election.