Feature Archives

Nurses from University Medical Center (UMC) were on strike today. The one day strike was called by nurses who are members of the California Nurses Association (CNA) to pressure management to bargain in good faith. The company is offering a 2% salary increase and the nurses want at least 5%. A standardized pay scale and an improved pension plan are also being sought by striking workers.

Don Nielsen, CNA director of arbitration in the Central Valley and the lead negotiator at UMC, said "this strike is about fairness and getting justice for the nurses that work at UMC.." Nurses at UMC have been working without a contract for seven years. Nielsen says that "when Fresno County privatized the hospital in 1996 all of the nurses were told to re-apply for their jobs. That is when the new owner, Community Hospital, refused to recognize the union." CNA filed unfair labor practice complaints with the National Labor Relations Board and fought for seven years for recognition. The NLRB ruled in favor of the nurses and their right to be represented by CNA. Read More

12/18/2004: The first shift of the 12 hour siege at the Claremont started off on December 18th. This is the 3rd holiday season the Hotel Workers at the Claremont have been denied a new contract, while the Right to organize by the Spa Workers remains under attack. Approximately 300 workers and their families have been spending every holiday for 3 years fighting with the Claremont. Picket lines and other job actions occur often and more are scheduled. 250 Food and Beverage workers are fighting for a fair contract, including affordable health care, fair wages and a voice on the job. 100 spa workers are fighting to be represented by their union free of coercion from the company. Photos

Since early July of 2004, 210 Stockton owner-operator truckers working out on the rails and ports in Stockton have unionized with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and won several victories. Today, 20 workers for the Kach Trucking Company went on strike as well. Harjit, a IWW organizer from the bay area, commented that, "One worker estimated that they are losing over $1,000 a month", and that's $1,000 that is going straight into the company's pockets. Workers are being swindled out of over time pay, being forced into making extra trips that are not paid for, and also having to cover tire, fuel, and other costs themselves. Read full report here.

12/05: Hundreds of locked out registered nurses and caregivers marched onto hospital property at the Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo and picketed on the last day of the lockout.

Around 7,000 nurses and hospital workers have been locked out of 13 of Sutter's hospitals in the Bay Area for five days, following a one-day strike. Caregivers and other workers say Sutter is putting CEO pay before patient care. On Dec. 3, SEIU 250 filed suit in San Francisco superior court against Sutter Health and the strike-breaking firm Modern Industrial Services (MIS), "America's leader in strike re-staffing," for alleged violations of criminal and civil codes. The California Nurses Association (CNA) filed an unfair labor practice charge against Alta Bates Summit citing the lockout as “illegal." The locked-out facilities include the California Pacific Medical Center (Sacramento & Buchanan) and St. Luke's Hospital (Cesar Chavez & Valencia) in SF, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in Berkeley and Oakland, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo, Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, and Sutter Medical Center and Sutter Warrack in Santa Rosa.

Reports: 12/02 | 12/03 | SEIU 250 Website Updates | Sutter Corporate Watch

11/24/04: Madera home care workers marched on Tuesday, in response to the Madera County Board of Supervisors voting to give themselves a raise this year while refusing to increase the wages and benefits of home care workers. Madera workers have been fighting for living wages since March 2003 when they joined the union. The workers are asking for $8.50 an hour with benefits, and the county has countered with a $ .25 an hour raise with no benefits. The march ended by filling the Board of Supervisors meeting to demand a living wage. In Fresno, more than two hundred nurses from the University Medical Center walked the picket line on Tuesday. The issues are improved retention of experienced RN's, a "union shop," and patient protection through adequate staffing and objective pay scales. UMC nurses were forced to strike when management failed to bargain in good faith after the recent assignment of a federal mediator to the more than year-long negotiations.

11/21/2004: Flying Picket to demand a fair contract now. 7 p.m. at Powell and Geary St.

From the Newswire - Saturday morning, in negotiations at Mayor Gavin Newsom's office, the San Francisco Multi-Employer Group agreed to end the lockout.

UNITE HERE! Local 2 members will return to their jobs next week. Local 2 and the hotels have agreed to a 60-day cooling-off period during which the Union agrees not to strike and the hotels agree not to lock out. Negotiations will continue in an attempt to settle the outstanding issues in the contract: medical benefits, pension contributions, retiree benefits, right to organize, wages, and contract term. [Read more]

11/20/2004: The Million Worker March Committee, SF Labor Council, UNITE-HERE Local 2, and ILWU Local 10 held a rally and picket Saturday at 11 a.m. starting in Union Square and marching to several hotels and finally to Justin Herman Plaza. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
A separate community solidarity march gathered at 1:30 p.m. at Powell and Market Streets, marched up to Nob Hill, and back down to South of Market, spreading cheer at hotels along the way. The marchers made it clear that they did not respect scabs, and that they would be back if Local 2 does not get its contract. Photos: 1 | 2

SF Hotels have continued the lock-out of of Approximately 3,500 UNITE HERE Local 2 hotel workers that began on Oct 13th. Union negotiators and the Multi-Employer Group (MEG) have been negotiating a new contract with many fallouts and disagreements. According to Union officals, under the contract being offered by the MEG "hotel workers would end up paying an average of $860 in higher health care costs". Other disputes remain regarding the length of the contract and pension contributions from hotels.

Kaiser Permanente and UNITE HERE Local 2 president recently announced that Kaiser Permanente will be extending benefits to workers free of charge for an additional 2 months. Workers and union officials were worried that Local 2 members would loose coverage Dec 1st because of a decision to cut healthcare benefits made by the MEG.

Meanwhile, independent community action has been heating up. Among the most recent support actions, the Halloween critical mass of around 3,000 bicyclists circled hotels and showed support for the hotel workers. While Anti-war protests have also vistited the pickets-lines on numerous occasions. More recently, supporters and hotel workers joined together to picket the Vienna Gloriosa -- a gala event that was held at the Palace Hotwel benefiting the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. The Orchestra refused to cross the picket lines, but, the event still took place. Socialite guests were treated to picketers dressed up in French colonial garb spreading a benner saying "The Revolution is Now".

Future actions include a support rally organized by the Million Worker March community and the SF Labor council on Nov 20th in Union Square. Flying pickets have also been held every Sunday at 7pm starting in Union Square, and will continue until the labor dipute is over.