SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight hundred hospital workers will enter their 2nd day of strike at three San Francisco hospitals on Wednesday, September 14. The caregivers are committed to strike until California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) renews its original agreement to accept a federal mediator’s recommendation for settlement.
The Sutter bargaining team of the SEIU United Health Workers- West unanimously agreed to the federal mediator’s contract proposal for a settlement that dropped the union’s proposal for a single contract with all Sutter-owned hospitals, while honoring caregivers’ commitment to quality patient care. Unfortunately, Sutter-owned CPMC continues to disingenuously claim that UHW members are fighting for a “master contract,” rather than the caregivers’ concerns about real issues like safe staffing, an employee training fund, and protections for workers to speak up on behalf of their patients.
Striking caregivers celebrated extraordinary turnout on the first day of their strike that featured visits from several San Francisco Board of Supervisors and Board President Aaron Peskin. Leaders from Bay Area communities of faith also visited the picket line and encouraged the caregivers to continue to hold CPMC accountable to its original agreement with the federal mediator.
“The federal mediator worked jointly with CPMC and our bargaining team to achieve a recommendation that all parties agreed upon,” said Sal Rosselli, SEIU-UHW president. “In fact, every other hospital in the Bay Area has already agreed to the standards for patient care found in this contract. Instead of honoring their agreement with the federal mediator, CPMC backtracked on an agreement that would ensure that San Francisco residents receive high quality care. Whoever is making that decision has to come to the table and be accountable to the people of San Francisco for provoking this strike.”
Elected state and local leaders have already urged Sutter Health and CPMC to accept the mediator’s proposal, including U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco May Gavin Newsom, Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, and many others.
STRIKE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Wednesday, Sept. 13 Noon Strikers join with United Farm Workers on the steps of SF City Hall 5:00 p.m. San Francisco residents, including members of Senior Action Network, San Francisco Labor Council, ACORN, and Richmond District Democratic Club join strikes on the picket line at the California campus 3700 California St., San Francisco Contact: Thea Lavin, +1-510-520-7732, for SEIU.
SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West
CONTACT: Thea Lavin, +1-510-520-7732, for SEIU
Web site: http://www.seiu-uhw.org//
