California nurses set one-day strike Dec. 22

Thousands of nurses in California  will hold a one-day strike on December 22 to protest against the massive cuts to registered nurses (RN) standards and patient care being proposed by the Sutter Corporation, the National Nurses United (NNU) and California Nurses Association (CNA) said. A CNA  report said, "Sutter's attack on nurses includes proposals to eliminate paid sick leave, impose massive increases on nurses' out-of-pocket healthcare costs, and the termination of health benefits for part-time RNs, along with close to 150 other contract takeaways."

The CNA invited the public to join picket lines (beginning at 7:00 a.m. December 22, US time) at the following locations:  

• Alta Bates Main Campus (2450 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley) 
• Alta Bates Herrick Campus (2001 Dwight Way, Berkeley; psychiatric care facility)
• Alta Bates Summit Campus (350 Hawthorne Avenue, Oakland)
• Eden Medical Center (20103 Lake Chabot Rd, Castro Valley)
• San Leandro Hospital (13855 E. 14th St., San Leandro)
• Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (1501 Trousdale Drive, Burlingame)
• Mills Health Center (100 S. San Mateo Drive, San Mateo)
• Sutter Solano Medical Center (300 Hospital Drive, Vallejo) 
• Sutter Delta Medical Center (3901 Lone Tree Way, Antioch)

The nurses association also urged people to attend rallies at the following areas:      

• Alta Bates, Ashby hospital, Berkeley  (noon)
• Sutter Solano, Vallejo (noon)
• Sutter Delta, Antioch (noon)
• Peninsula (2:00 p.m.)
• Alta Bates, Summit hospital (4:00 p.m.)
• Sutter corporate headquarters, 2200 River Plaza Dr., Sacramento (noon)

The report alleged that "Sutter has amassed over $3.7 billion in profits since 2005, pays over $1 million to each of 20 top corporate executives, and increased CEO Pat Fry’s salary by 20% to $4.7 million last year."

"Sutter has also targeted hospitals serving more low income patients in San Francisco and San Leandro for full or partial closures, and carried out huge reductions in patient services it deems less profitable, regardless of the impact on patients, especially mental health services, women’s health care, pediatric care, rehab services, and dialysis care," it added.      

If the strike pushes through, the nurses will have a patient protection task force available at each facility to assist in emergency patient care inside the hospitals, the report said. "Each hospital received 10 days advance notice to postpone elective surgeries, transfer out any patients as needed, and make other preparations," the CNA said. - VVP, GMA News