5,000 nurses strike against Northern California hospitals

[Omaha Steve]

California is the state with the highest percentage of nurses that are union at about 40%.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/10/10/state/n070117D82.DTL&type=health

Nearly 5,000 nurses in Northern California went on strike Wednesday to protest what they said were inadequate contract offerings from the Sutter Health hospital chain.

The nurses have been in negotiations with many of the not-for-profit hospitals since the spring. The California Nurses Association decided on a two-day walkout to protest what they said were unacceptable proposals on health care and retirement benefits, and staffing levels.

The strike affects 13 bay area hospitals and two Sacramento-area hospitals. The Sutter Health hospitals are located in Santa Rosa, Oakland, San Francisco, Marysville, Yuba City and several other cities.

Hospital officials say replacement workers are in place and patients should not expect disruptions in service.

Charles Idelson, communications director for the California Nurses Association, said patient care was the central issue.

"It's come to this because Sutter has refused to listen to the concerns of their nurses," Idelson said. Many nurses "can't even take breaks a significant percentage of the time because of inadequate staffing," he said.

FULL story at link.

[TomInTib]

1. My next door neighbor was head of the volunteer corps at a Sutter facility.

Sutter Sucks.

The stories he tells will curl your hair.