On October 28th, Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean came to the picket lines to show his support.
Photos | Scabs mar rally | Sutter Management-SEUI Union Class War

On October 13th, striking dietary aide Lorenna Hernandez was hospitalized with abdominal injuries after being kicked to the ground by military-trained security following a candlelight vigil at CPMC. Since the picket began at one of Sutter's eight bay area hospitals, Sutter has hired temporary security personnel from Steele Foundation, an expensive international security firm that sends private armed guards to volatile areas around the world. Report

On October 5th, Jesse Jackson and others joined striking healthcare workers in San Franciso to urge Sutter to accept the compromise offered by a federal mediator last August. Video

Over 800 California Pacific Medical Center caregivers have been walking the picket lines in San Francisco since September 13th. On August 28th, a federal mediator issued a compromise to SEIU-UHW and Sutter CPMC as a settlement of the issues to avoid a strike – a compromise proposal that would establish the same quality of care standards that are currently in place at hospitals across California.

The United Healthcare West Bargaining Team accepted the compromise. Sutter CPMC accepted it as well, but Sutter backtracked and went back on their acceptance. The workers want Sutter CPMC to accept the Federal Mediator’s neutral proposal – accepting standards that hospitals across California already have in place- and end the strike. There is an online petition on SEIU-United Healthcare West's website. A variety of political and community activists are standing with the striking caregivers and urging Sutter to “Just Say Yes.”

9/23 Striker Diary | 9/17 Striker Diary | 9/15 report | Beyond Chron article | SEIU-UHW's CPMC Page | Sutter Strikers for Patient Care | Sutter Corporate Watch