Sutter Health employees represented by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West are set to rally outside eight California hospitals throughout July to protest staffing levels, wait times and workplace safety problems.
SEIU-UHW, which represents approximately 3,500 members across nine Sutter Health campuses in Northern California, will take a new approach by establishing "danger zones" at each hospital, which will contain large signs and visuals and caregivers in uniforms and PPE, who will hold a rally and give speeches.
The union represents service and tech workers, which includes medical assistants, respiratory therapists, housekeeping staff, food service workers, certified nursing assistants, radiological technologists and lab technicians.
"While we continue to bargain in good faith and support our healthcare workers as they care for our communities, we are disappointed that SEIU is choosing to take this unnecessary action," a Sutter spokesperson told Becker's. "We remain focused on reaching a shared resolution and continuing to provide safe, compassionate patient care."
An SEIU-UHW spokesperson told Becker's there was not one single decision by upper management that has resulted in the planned "danger zones," but rather an "ongoing pattern of understaffing departments and reducing workforce that has only accelerated as the pandemic has gotten under control."
Below are the dates and Sutter hospital locations for each planned "danger zone."
July 7: Sutter Delta Medical Center (Antioch) and Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital (Santa Rosa)
July 14: Sutter Eden Medical Center (Castro Valley) and Sutter Solano Medical Center (Vallejo)
July 21: Sutter Roseville Medical Center (Roseville) and Sutter California Pacific Medical Center-Mission Bernal (San Francisco)
July 28: Sutter Lakeside Hospital (Lakeport) and Sutter Alta Bates Summit Medical Center (Oakland)