SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty striking caregivers were arrested yesterday at California Pacific Medical Center after urging the hospital to accept a federal mediator’s proposal for settlement. Hundreds of rallying CPMC caregivers, labor supporters, activists, and elected officials peacefully protested on Sutter/CPMC property before receiving a police order to disperse. Twenty caregivers remained and were arrested in an expression of their commitment to better patient care at CPMC.
“We are willing to do whatever it takes to win a contract that puts our patients’ safety first,” said Tom Reynolds, a Patient Care Assistant at CPMC. “Our peaceful mass arrest symbolized that we are more united than ever. We will never stop fighting for an industry standard contract!”
Supervisor Aaron Peskin, President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors spoke before the capacity crowd and urged the hospital to end the unnecessary strike. While reprimanding Sutter/CPMC for rejecting the federal mediator’s contract recommendation, Peskin announced a formal investigation into numerous reports of poor patient care and illegal behavior by replacement workers during the strike.
“Sutter would rather have sub-standard care provided by workers making $6 an hours less than you -- this has got to stop,” said Supervisor Peskin, who was joined at the rally by Supervisor Fiona Ma. “You are united. We are united behind you. Supervisor Ammiano has introduced a resolution calling for an investigation into how CPMC is not looking out for the patients of San Francisco. And let me say this to the leadership of CPMC: your level of arrogance and greed has no limits and for that you will pay the price.”
After the launch of the CPMC strike on September 13, reports of illegal behavior by temporary workers and deteriorating patient care have plagued the hospital. On September 24, San Francisco police reported that three temporary workers were caught stealing drugs from a pharmaceutical cabinet. Other reports revealed the demise of sanitary conditions in the hospital and use of illegal drugs by replacement workers while on duty.
Hospital workers at the three campuses were forced to strike on September 13 after a Federal Mediator offered a compromise settlement proposal that CPMC accepted, then rejected. The caregivers were forced to strike when CPMC unlawfully reneged on its offer to accept the settlement, which featured guidelines for safe staffing and a training and education fund for caregivers.
SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West, with more than 140,000 members, is the largest and most powerful healthcare union in the Western U.S. We represent every type of healthcare worker, including nursing, professional, technical and service classifications. Our mission is to achieve high quality healthcare for all.
CONTACT: Thea Lavin c. 510-520-7732
SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West
CONTACT: Thea Lavin of SEIU United Healthcare Workers-West,+1-510-520-7732
Web site: http://www.seiu-uhw.org/
