10 N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G J U LY | A U G U S T | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9
NEWS BRIEFS
CALIFORNIA
R
ns at alameda Hospital and San
Leandro Hospital (SLH) held an
unfair labor practice strike on
Sept. 20. California Nurses Associ-
ation had filed multiple charges with the
California Public Employment Relations
Board against both hospitals for violating
state law by failing to bargain in good faith.
After many months of negotiations,
Alameda Hospital and SLH management
continue to violate the law. They are propos-
ing wholesale elimination of longtime
contract provisions, some of which have
been in place for more than four decades,
instituting unilateral changes without
bargaining with the union, and other
changes.
Nurses have repeatedly expressed their
concerns at the bargaining table and directly
to the Alameda Health System (AHS) Board
of Trustees about the approach AHS is
taking, but management refuses to bargain
in good faith. The nurses' contract expired
in December 2018.
"As nurses who work for a public hospi-
tal, we know too well the severe
circumstances under which our patients
come to the hospital to receive care," said
Linda Strack, RN at Alameda Hospital. "The
attacks being employed by
Alameda Health System on
nurses, patients, and the
community will forever have
damaging impacts. AHS is
being unfair to nurses and
patients and that is why I
believe it is important for us
to take a stand as nurses and
support the strike."
"We have witnessed the
AHS hospital administrator
prioritize their bottom line
over providing quality
patient care," said Laurie
Mandel, RN, San Leandro
Hospital. "AHS administra-
tors have already made so
many changes without listen-
ing to our concerns, which
has resulted in the loss of
good nurses. They continue
to disrespect our contract
and are being unfair, at and
away from the bargaining
table, which is why I believe
it is important for us nurses to be united and
stand up for justice for our patients and our
families."
—Chuleenan Svetvilas
Alameda and San Leandro RNs hold unfair
labor practice strike
