Antelope Valley Hospital nurses authorize strike

Registered nurses at Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster, Calif., have voted to authorize a strike over what they say are unfair labor practices and chronic short staffing, according to an announcement from the California Nurses Association.

"With this strike authorization vote, we are sending a clear message to the AVH board that we hold them accountable for the eroding conditions at the hospital," Kathleen Stalter, RN, said in the announcement. "We call on the board to demand that the executive management team address the hospital's chronic short staffing, stop wasting patient care dollars and invest instead in the retention and recruitment of nursing staff to provide quality care to this community."

The vote to authorize a strike does not mean a strike will take place. The CNA, which represents approximately 1,000 RNs at AVH, would have to formally notify the hospital 10 days before a strike begins. If a strike does take place, it would be the second since September.

In response to the nurses' strike authorization vote, AVH said: "We are disappointed that the CNA is again looking to strike. Rather than put the community through another strike, we would like to resume negotiations and work toward a new contract. To help facilitate that, two board members have agreed to observe all future bargaining sessions, and we have offered to enlist the services of a mediator. We are awaiting a response from the CNA. We are confident that we can reach an agreement and believe that doing so is in the best interest of the patients, the nurses and the community."

 

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