Nurses Step Up Plans for California’s Biggest RN Strike This Decade

All but two of the hospitals are in the Bay Area and include some of the biggest hospitals in the Sutter Health chain, including Alta Bates Summit Medical Center with hospitals in Berkeley and Oakland, the Mills-Peninsula Health Services in Burlingame and San Mateo, and California Pacific Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco.

Two Fremont-Rideout Health Group hospitals, Fremont Medical Center in Yuba City and Rideout Memorial Hospital in Marysville would also be part of the walkout.

The strike is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, October 10 and run until 7 a.m. on Friday, October 12. At some of the hospitals, management has threatened to prolong the dispute with a lockout of nurses for up to an additional three days after the strike ends.

No talks are scheduled at any of the facilities involved in the strike. Patient care practices are the principle issue for nurses at all the hospitals involved in the dispute.

Other Sutter hospitals affected are Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, San Leandro Hospital, Sutter Delta in Antioch, Sutter Solano in Vallejo, Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa, Sutter Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae, and Sutter Novato.

Safe care for patients, health security for RNs. Among the key issues in Sutter are:

Patient care

RN-to-patient ratios. CNA wants all the Sutter hospitals to include the state mandated RN staffing ratios, in their contracts to add the legal clout of their contract to enforce safe staffing at all times. Different Sutter hospitals have different language, and California Pacific is refusing to guarantee adherence to the ratios at all.

Break relief. The RNs want Sutter to guarantee it will maintain safe staffing, including full adherence to the ratios, when RNs are on meal or rest breaks.

Rapid response. CNA proposed that each Sutter facility have a rapid response team support, including a critical care RN and respiratory therapist to intervene and stabilize patients which healthcare experts say has been valuable in saving lives of patients in emergencies. Further, CNA is calling for an admittance RN in emergency departments to speed up patient assessments and placements, which also promotes patient safety and recovery.

Safe patient handling. The RNs want all Sutter facilities to have a lift team on hand at all times to assist with handling of patients, which is important to prevent accidents and falls, and reduce caregiver back and other injuries. Many CNA contracts provide for lift teams.

No cuts in patient services. CNA is strongly protesting Sutter plans to close San Leandro and Santa Rosa, and slash acute care services at St. Luke’s and CPMC in San Francisco.

Protecting and maintaining RN health care benefits

Sutter is proposing for various hospitals reduction in current benefits, including increased costs for RNs in premiums, deductibles, and co-payments, for office visits, emergency care, other medical procedures, and prescription drugs.

At some facilities, Sutter wants to reduce provider option for RNs which in some facilities, such as Solano and Delta where there are fewer medical facilities and providers, would sharply limit the ability of the nurses and their families to receive timely medical care.

At Alta Bates and Summit, Sutter wants to force the RNs to submit to participation in a “wellness” program, including coaching by a non-healthcare professional six times a year, or face substantial increase in health care costs.

At California Pacific, Sutter is demanding CNA agree to allow management to unilaterally reduce health benefits at any time. CPMC is also insisting on receiving a waiver of its obligation under city ordinance to assure its nurses access to sick leave.

Retirement security

Pensions. CNA is proposing that Sutter increase the value of its retirement plan, by agreeing to eliminate a deduction for Social Security benefits, so that RNs can retire with dignity.

Post-retirement medical care. CNA is seeking enhancements in retiree health to assure RNs have all their retiree health needs met.