The erosion of institutional trust in the care sector’s collective bargaining: A critical discourse analysis of the news dataThis study examines the dynamics of institutional trust and power relations during a labour dispute in the healthcare sector through national news media. The study is a qualitative document analysis, where critical discourse analysis and the model of trustworthiness serve as the framework for examining institutional trust and power relations. The research data consisting of 124 news articles from Yle were analysed using critical discourse analysis. Three main discourses were identified: ‘Patient safety guaranteed by slave law’, ‘Who will take care of you?’ and ‘A united front’. These discourses revealed the erosion of institutional trust driven by power imbalances that hindered trust building. This study highlights the importance of negotiating relationships and maintaining mutual trust for successful negotiations and post-agreement cooperation.