UHW Strike at CPMC Davies Campus

15 Sept 2005

California Pacific Medical Center – Davies Campus, San Francisco
Around 6pm this evening striking United Health Care employees crossed on to the hospital’s grounds. They did not enter the hospital. Police and security responded, detaining two or three labor leaders for a period of time. SEIU lawyers went to the site and the leaders were released. Apparently no one was injured during the action.

When I arrived at 645pm there were maybe an 8-12 police along with dark suited private security. They maintained a portable gate to keep the strikers off the campus.

The strikers are in good spirits. But it’s going to be a cold evening, and they’ll be there all night. Folks like Andi and Josie and others were kind and offered to share their food. Insights from the strikers were fascinating:
- some health care workers will retire without…. health care
- they haven’t operated with a contract for over a year
- Main stream press is showing the SEIU as brazen and unjustified, but Sutter won’t accept a federal mediator's proposal
- SEIU had issued a resolution against the Iraq war
- CPMC is using Steele Security during the strike. It was told to me that Steele operates in Iraq’s private security

The union’s proposals include a voice in staffing levels and the right for caregivers to join a union.