MADISON, Wis. — Nurses on strike outside UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital marched to the Wisconsin State Capitol for a rally with other union workers Friday.

They’re fighting for better pay, safer staffing and better workplace security.

Among the nurses making their voices heard and raising signs for everyone to read is Pat Raes, who has worked at Meriter for more than three decades.

Raes is also the president of the Wisconsin chapter of the Service Employees International Union, which represents the nurses on strike. 

They said they won’t settle until the hospital agrees to put more safety measures in place to protect them.

“Our E.R. nurses are assaulted on a daily basis,” Raes said. “In my 35 years, I have had IV poles swung at me like baseball bats twice.”

In a statement Friday, Meriter said it’s committed to reaching a fair agreement both parties can support. Hospital leadership offered a deal that they said would make Meriter nurses the highest paid in Madison.

This is the first time in history Meriter nurses have gone on strike.

“It is never easy for nurses to decide to take on a strike because we are so committed to our patients that we have a tough time ethically making that break,” Raes said.

Lindsey Miller and Carol Lemke are members of the nurses’ union bargaining team, which returned to the negotiating table with hospital leaders Friday at 8 a.m. They also had discussions Thursday.

“To see movement at the table and hopefully more movement today and hopefully a fair contract soon, that’s our goal,” Miller said.

Saturday will be the last day of this planned strike, as these nurses are schedule to report back to work starting Sunday.

“We want to be the best possible nurses we can be for our patients,” Miller said. “We don't want to be spread thin. We have a safe hospital, but we can always improve, and we want to be the best we can for our community.”

As of now, there is no end time scheduled for contract negotiations.