Thousands of UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland workers walked off the job early Wednesday morning to begin an open-ended strike over a systemwide reorganization plan.
Some 1,300 members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers who currently work directly for Children’s Hospital Oakland are slated to be moved into employment with UCSF Health.
The two separate organizations run the hospital system together and say that by “unifying the workforce” they will be able to improve long-term growth prospects and strengthen their ability to provide care.
By integrating NUHW into the UCSF Health workforce, however, the administration is canceling union contracts and cutting take-home pay for approximately 2,500 East Bay workers, including NUHW workers, members of the California Nurses Association and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39.
“We’re determined to stop UCSF from canceling our contracts, because it would make it harder for us to provide for our families and advocate for the East Bay kids we serve,” said pharmacy technician Marques Williams.
NUHW leaders say their members would lose about $10,000 in take-home pay, as well as their seniority, because of the plan.
Hospital officials acknowledge that some workers might see a drop in take-home pay, since they currently pay nothing toward health insurance or retirement, but “will gain access to a far more valuable pension and comprehensive, long-term benefits.”
Union leaders said they filed a grievance about the hospital’s plan over allegations that it violates a contractual prohibition against subcontracting but Children’s Hospital Oakland has refused to select an arbitrator.
In response, NUHW filed a lawsuit seeking to compel arbitration. A federal judge is scheduled to hear the complaint on June 26, according to union officials.
It’s unclear how long the strike might last but currently the hospital’s locations in Walnut Creek and Brentwood are closed.
Hospital officials said they are disappointed with the strike and how it’s disrupting operations but said that critical care services like the emergency department and operating rooms are still up and running.
Patients are being notified by their clinics if their appointments change and if people have questions about an appointment, they can call Patient Relations at (415) 353-1936.
The striking NUHW members include nursing assistants, respiratory therapists, housekeepers, clerical workers and medical technicians.
Is it binding arbitration?
Good ole Union busting, would not be surprised if an outside company is giving
hospital management advice.
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Sounds like an attempt to starve Union member into submission.
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Unlike fast food workers, many hospital employees have skill sets that are in demand.
An how long before democrat state legislature decides to, “HELP” out Union ? ? ? ?
Need to cater to those giving regular campaign contributions ans blocks of voters.
Additional, how many employees are twelve years or less from retirement ? ? ?
Years ago national company closed a profitable Unionized plant in Pittsburg, CA
folks thought it strange until someone thought to check how many people were
close to retirement, national company was sued and LOST Big Time.
Angry ghetto workers…..more people that will take any job but dont really care what the job does for people.
So, never mind commenting about union-busting or workers rights, the most intelligent thing you could do to add to this discussion was to simply inject a racist comment? Sad.
No,yours is that type of comment.Need a tissue?Reality to real?
The entire graveyard shift clean up staff at Kaiser hospital in Walnut Creek is cracked out.I can prove it.And they prove it every night when they buy glass tube air fresheners at a gas station and liitle propane torches they stole from Walmart and leave the aftermath all over the bathroom at the gas station formerly known as Kaiser Shell.These are people who just needed a job,any job,and they werent going to let it change their habits,only finance them.
They all take BART to get to work from far away places on the other side of the west tunnel,and east hill.Nobody working at that hospital doing grunt work lives near WC.It’s a terrible business.All doctors at a hospital are in training and you’re their experiment.%90 of people that enter a hospital leave with germs they didnt have when they got there.
But you’re ranting about Kaiser when this article is about the integration of members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers into the UCSF Health workforce. I understand you have a beef with Kaiser and I don’t blame you for that. It’s just that your comment isn’t even relevant to this article. This is a union busting measure that UCSF is trying to impose. That’s the topic here. I personally think it’s wrong, and that a lot of workers will lose the seniority they’ve acquired. Plus they’ll be making less in wages because UCSF mandates they pay for their own medical whereas the union contract they have in place already gives them that benefit. This is what’s at stake here. Kindly save your Kaiser diatribe for a more pertinent article.
I wouldn’t take my dog to Kaiser!!