Health care employees at 5 California medical facilities vote to license strike beginning May 22

Thousands of healthcare workers at five HCA centers in California have voted to authorize an unjust labor practice strike, claiming management is threatening and daunting staff members who complain of short-staffing and low incomes.

With 97% voting in favor, an approximated 3,000 emergency clinic service technicians, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, lab techs, dieticians, pharmacy techs and cooks are set to introduce a five-day strike starting May 22 at the following areas:

• HCA Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks


• HCA West Hills Hospital


• HCA Riverside Community Hospital


• HCA Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose


• HCA Regional Medical Center in San Jose

< img decoding =" async" loading =" lazy" class =" lazyautosizes lazyload" src ="/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 620% 2C9999px & ssl = 1" alt =" Riverside Community Hospital nurse Grace Moreno jumps Friday, March 31, 2023, as she and about 100 colleagues object what they say are low staffing levels at the hospital on Magnolia Avenue.( Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG) "width =" 4000" height =" 639" data-sizes =" auto" data-src="/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 620% 2C9999px & ssl = 1" data-srcset ="/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 620% 2C9999px & ssl = 1 620w,/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 780 %2C9999px & ssl = 1 780w,/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 810 %2C9999px & ssl = 1 810w,/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 1280% 2C9999px & ssl = 1 1280w,/ wp-content/uploads/2023/ 05/RPE-L-HOSPITAL -0331 -04 TP.jpg?fit = 1860% 2C9999px & ssl = 1 1860w" > Workers allege management has actually violated labor law by stopping them from conference and talking in healthcare facility public locations, tossing union personnel out of hospitals and telling caretakers they can't wear union logo designs. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG). The employees, whose labor contract ended March 31, are represented by SEIU-UHW. Their next bargaining sessions are scheduled for Monday, May 15 through Wednesday, May 17 with additional dates to be identified after the strike
, union officials stated. In a declaration released Friday, Riverside Community Hospital spokesperson David Maxfield called the pending walkout "negligent and unneeded, and not in the interest of patients.".

" This choice by SEIU-UHW leadership is stunning and entirely at odds with the progress we have actually made at the bargaining table, where we reached agreement on many contract issues," he stated. "A strike benefits nobody and may prevent our neighborhoods from having access to timely medical care.".

Employees allege management has violated labor law by stopping them from meeting and talking in medical facility public areas, tossing union personnel out of healthcare facilities and informing caretakers they can't use union logo designs.

" We are prepared to strike because HCA can not keep bargaining in bad faith and rejecting what we experience every day at our medical facilities," stated Xochitl Gonzalez, a patient care service technician at Los Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. "I have never ever seen working conditions or patient care suffer more.".

A current study by SEIU-UHW of health care employees at HCA facilities discovered staffing is typically 30% listed below the national average, according to an analysis of Medicare cost-report data.

The report stated the pattern of low staffing reflects a deliberate business method that precedes the COVID-19 pandemic.

" Short staffing conserves HCA billions each year," the report stated. "These billions are costs borne by clients, as lower staffing levels are connected with inferior patient care.".

The SEIU-UHW workers also are urging passage of Senate Bill 525, which would increase staffing for California healthcare employees and raise their minimum wage to $25 an hour.

Introduced by Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Echo Park, it would change California's existing base pay of $15.50 for workers in healthcare facilities, skilled nursing centers, dialysis centers, behavioral university hospital and ratings of other facilities.

" Raising the minimum wage for health care employees will help us keep staff who were considering leaving due to the skyrocketing expense of living and ongoing emotional toll of the pandemic," the union said. "If we await our companies alone to act to fix the staffing crisis, nothing will change.".