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Greenfield hospital nurses approve strike

GREENFIELD, Mass. (AP) - Nurses at a Greenfield hospital have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a three-day strike unless progress is being made in their long-running labor dispute with management.

The vote by Baystate Franklin Medical Center nurses Tuesday means that union leaders can call for a strike at any time, but must give the hospital at least 10 days' notice.

A union official says more than 70 percent of the hospital's 200 nurses who voted approved the strike authorization.

Nurses and management disagree on how overtime pay is calculated. Nurses want overtime for any hours worked over eight per day. The hospital wants to start overtime pay after 40 hours in a week.

Hospital president Chuck Gijanto said it was "unfortunate that the union has opted to threaten the hospital" with a strike.