Thousands of California Nurses Go On Strike
Five thousand California nurses went on strike Monday over issues involving understaffing, patient safety and unfair contracts that fail to acknowledge their contributions.
The nurses are members of the Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement, a union at Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children’s Health.
The nurses’ contracts expired on March 31, and they are demanding new ones that give more leeway for rest and recovery, and boost mental health supports, wages and benefits.
Contract negotiations between union leaders and Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital lasted for 13 weeks, involved 30 bargaining sessions and three days with a federal mediator. As of Tuesday, those contract negotiations have resumed.
On April 8, the Committee for Recognition of Nursing Achievement issued a statement that 93% of eligible nurses voted in favor of a strike. A notice of the strike was issued to hospitals on April 13.
Registered nurses from UCLA Medical Center and UCSF Medical Center also announced they will hold rallies on Wednesday, with demands that the University of California address staff and patient safety issues.
In addition, registered nurses from Tenet hospitals throughout California held a strike on Thursday, and 15 Sutter Health facilities in Northern California held a strike on April 18 for similar reasons.
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